Media: Mixed Media

My body of work documents the process of better understanding my identity as an Asian-American by examining the idea of finding belonging in Western spaces. The rise in anti-Asian sentiment created by the pandemic led me to react on how race has affected my life and to further research the historical context of Asians in the U.S. I combined this historical research with my own memories as well as art history itself. I also decided to employ a visual motif of infrared imaging in my works to express the idea of scrutiny. From this, yellows and purples from this infrared scale guided my works.

I began with traditional oil painting, but I also experimented with digital media through image transfer, ripping off that image transfer, layering with markers, spray painting, and more. This was also a process of revision as I went back to alter such digital media in a physical sense with the other mentioned methods. I've practiced realistic oil painting techniques as well as those like creating line blurs in my paintings. This duality of classical and unconventional techniques has developed as I wanted to explore the tension of being an Asian in America, and of alienation and belonging.