Jay Li
Unknown, 2025
43.5cm х 34.5cm - acrylic and ink on papyrus
Honiara, Solomon Islands
43.5cm х 34.5cm - acrylic and ink on papyrus
Honiara, Solomon Islands
How does the traveller see it?
(Fragment of a post from a Facebook page)
Picking up on my interest in this painting, the artist told me that the canvas is made of tree bark. I asked:
Who is the girl?
The “Solomon Islands Mona Lisa”, he replied. Cause she’s smiling.
And what tree bark did you use?
He paused in thought. I don’t know, he said. She’s not from Guadalcanal (the biggest island in the Solomon Islands).
The painting next to this one––a map––was done on the same canvas. Tikopia Island, he said, showing me with his finger.
A girl was sitting under the painting working with some beads, and her face struck me as familiar. That’s a portrait of you, I exclaimed, looking back between her and the Mona Lisa painting. I said okay, let’s have my iPhone do the comparison! A little embarrassed, she hopped into the joint photo. There’s a resemblance!
The next day, at a museum in the capital city of Honiara, I showed my photo of la Gioconda to a local guide. She mentioned how the girl’s headdress is decorated with dolphin teeth, which serves as both an ornament and as money. The girl is from one of the eastern islands, not from here––the museum head backed up the artist’s own words. So, is her resemblance to Mona Lisa just a coincidence?
Who is the girl?
The “Solomon Islands Mona Lisa”, he replied. Cause she’s smiling.
And what tree bark did you use?
He paused in thought. I don’t know, he said. She’s not from Guadalcanal (the biggest island in the Solomon Islands).
The painting next to this one––a map––was done on the same canvas. Tikopia Island, he said, showing me with his finger.
A girl was sitting under the painting working with some beads, and her face struck me as familiar. That’s a portrait of you, I exclaimed, looking back between her and the Mona Lisa painting. I said okay, let’s have my iPhone do the comparison! A little embarrassed, she hopped into the joint photo. There’s a resemblance!
The next day, at a museum in the capital city of Honiara, I showed my photo of la Gioconda to a local guide. She mentioned how the girl’s headdress is decorated with dolphin teeth, which serves as both an ornament and as money. The girl is from one of the eastern islands, not from here––the museum head backed up the artist’s own words. So, is her resemblance to Mona Lisa just a coincidence?
And what do you think?