Taipei, Sep. 7 (CNA) A Canadian English teacher and painter whose work is being displayed at the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei said Thursday that his "most unforgettable experiences" are what inspire his painting.
Cole Swanson said that during a trip to Jaipur, India a few years ago, a massive flock of pigeons in front of Albert Hall caught his attention.
"The birds that littered the front steps were so numerous that I could barely walk a straight line through them. When they rose into the sky, I became lost. The wings of the birds were so many that my whole world dissolved right in front of my eyes, " said Swanson, who lives in Taipei and makes his living teaching English.
"I was left with the pure sensation of their multitude. They were no longer birds; they were an enormous living thing, " he said, adding that this is why he has been focusing on pigeons as the main theme of his work ever since.
Swanson, 23, has been living in Taiwan for eight months and plans on staying for another six months. Being able to earn money teaching English while painting in his spare time is what brought him to Taiwan after spending a year in India studying Indian folk design and miniature painting.
"An artist is someone who tries to express a certain kind of identity. I'm a little bit different. For me, this is an exhibition that does not necessarily believe in anything, " he said cryptically.