Realities

Erin Nguyen

This project explores the reality of living a life as an Asian American woman, through the medium of Creative Direction, a career I hope to pursue. Through the work, I wanted to share my experiences and the uncomfortable realities of what I go through based on my physical appearance. And, the work also became a platform to articulate elements of my aesthetic vocabulary, as well as expand my abilities to translate an idea into an artistic project that communicates a strong message.

Featured in the work, are designs I created and collaged throughout the entire extent of the display. The placement/arrangement is made to showcase my ability to creatively elevate the types of displays you would see in windows of department stores and throughout shopping malls. Through such work, I seek to catapult myself to one day working with brands in ways that are not only pushing the boundaries of marketing, but also fostering reflection and dialogue around important issues shaping our lives.

About the Artist

My artwork is art that is done with intention and curated in a style that I define as myself. I work alongside ideas and turn something or a message into a creative visual project. My intention within my work is to curate projects with a purpose and follow alongside the client’s wishes and hopes for the brand. I like to use my knowledge and experiences and incorporate them into my art as I feel that my experiences will benefit the project due to the fact that I respect people's ideas, wishes, and opinions.

As an artist who is looking into a career in creative directing my knowledge of art is not just singular to one medium. I have taken it upon myself and throughout my schooling to become familiar with many different aspects of art. I find that my medium when it comes to art follows more along with my ideas and education rather than something physical. Educating myself on what the trends are is an important aspect of my career because it is something that you need to heavily rely on in order to know the audience that you are trying to cater to.

Inspiration that I follow throughout my journey towards creative directing is drawn from people such as Helen Steed who is the creative director at a large beauty brand named Glossier. Following famous creative directors who hold a career within the beauty and fashion industry is important to me because I find myself most connected to those industries and it’s important to follow along with what is going on in present time within those worlds.

As I continue my work as an artist who is inspired to one day become a creative director, I am currently working on a project that explores the realities of being an Asian American Woman in today’s society while curating a window display that not only shows my aesthetic and style but also maintains the message that I would like to portray. This will be demonstrated through a t-shirt collage that is spread amongst all the shirts. I aspire one day to find a career where I can devote my style and my ideas to a brand's story and portray it with my creative visuals.