INSPIRATION
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PURPOSE
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AUDIENCE
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THEME
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LAYOUT
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Summary
My exhibition is an exploration of how form and structure can be used to express identity and culture. Through contrasting identities by juxtaposing culture and location, I depicted how not only myself, but others, can discover the depth and complexity of identity. The integration between Chinese and Western culture, as well as personal and social identity, establishes a strong connection not only between me and my work, but also the exhibition and viewer. I aim to communicate a feeling of self-reconciliation as well as inner disconnection as people take a literal journey starting from identity in relation to its perceptions and definitions, to my personal culture and identity.interpretations and connections.
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My exhibition is an exploration of how form and structure can be used to express identity and culture. The initial inspiration behind my work began from a search for defining home and the contrasting values of society. During a trip to my family’s home village in Hong Kong, I became reconnected with the local culture, architecture, and environment. The experience motivated me to further investigate the differences between tradition and modernity, as well as evolving circumstances and community.
Through exploring the idea of contrasting identities by juxtaposing culture and location, I explored how not only myself, but others, can discover the depth and complexity of identity. The integration between Chinese and Western culture, as well as personal and social identity, establishes a personal connection not only between me and my work, but also the exhibition and viewer. I aim to communicate a feeling of self-reconciliation as well as inner disconnection as people take a literal journey starting from identity in relation to its perceptions and definitions, to my personal interpretations and connections.
The theme of my exhibition is articulated through a variety of different styles including sketching, painting, photo transfer, and construction. Despite the variety of artistic mediums, each work effectively intertwines the intimacy and depth of understanding the self and defining culture and emotion. Furthermore, it is a reflection of the multiplicity of identities that I am exploring and allows for difference in perception; the pieces encourage a certain level of interpretation as the work moves from personal to social identity. Beyond the subject matter of each piece, different mediums create varying levels of interaction with the viewer. For example, Unwritten is an installation that allows viewers to become a part of the piece as they physically travel through different individual “identities”, until finally reaching my most personal culture and home at the center, essentially summarizing the theme of my exhibition. Models like A Tale of Two and Caged Home allow for viewers to observe the work at the different dimensions and perspectives, without physically stepping into it. Even though Lost Memories and Split are separated into individually completed canvases, it also explores the effects of layering and composition, serving as a transition between 2-dimensional and 3-deminsional pieces. While these 3 pieces allow for the viewer to interpret the work from multiple points of view, Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Paths, and Work in Progress lack 3 dimensional features. However, their level of detailing still encourages viewers to observe them at a closer range, establishing a connection between the audience and exhibition while allowing viewers to gain a better understanding of my personal intentions behind each piece.
The circular organization allows viewers to walk through the exhibition and view the pieces as a story, paralleling a physical journey of discovering identity. The models, A Tale of Two and Caged Home, are exhibited on elevated pedestals as to keep each piece at a relatively equal eye level. The beginning piece, Work in Progress, is a representation of the ever-changing complex nature of defining “the self”, therefore highlighting an introduction to my exhibition and the concept of identity. Moving forward, after establishing a sense of vulnerability and growth through Mirror Mirror on the Wall and Hidden, I introduced more personal experiences – representations of my culture and home through Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Placing Unwritten at the center of the exhibition highlighted how the work incorporated aspects of identity from multiple perspectives. The element of red and Chinese symbols ties each piece together, as shown through the red cloth on Mirror Mirror on the Wall, the bold red background of Work in Progress, the color and symbol incorporated into the painting Split, and red symbols incorporated within the display of Caged Home, which casted a shadow from the top as well, A Tale of Two, Unwritten and Paths. The red communicates the feeling of emotional intensity and connection, while alluding to Chinese and Hong Kong culture.
The overall vision for presenting this body of works is to create a collection that conveys contrasting perspectives of personal and social identity through form, effectively allowing viewers to connect to their individual experiences while gaining a better understand of my culture and values.
Through exploring the idea of contrasting identities by juxtaposing culture and location, I explored how not only myself, but others, can discover the depth and complexity of identity. The integration between Chinese and Western culture, as well as personal and social identity, establishes a personal connection not only between me and my work, but also the exhibition and viewer. I aim to communicate a feeling of self-reconciliation as well as inner disconnection as people take a literal journey starting from identity in relation to its perceptions and definitions, to my personal interpretations and connections.
The theme of my exhibition is articulated through a variety of different styles including sketching, painting, photo transfer, and construction. Despite the variety of artistic mediums, each work effectively intertwines the intimacy and depth of understanding the self and defining culture and emotion. Furthermore, it is a reflection of the multiplicity of identities that I am exploring and allows for difference in perception; the pieces encourage a certain level of interpretation as the work moves from personal to social identity. Beyond the subject matter of each piece, different mediums create varying levels of interaction with the viewer. For example, Unwritten is an installation that allows viewers to become a part of the piece as they physically travel through different individual “identities”, until finally reaching my most personal culture and home at the center, essentially summarizing the theme of my exhibition. Models like A Tale of Two and Caged Home allow for viewers to observe the work at the different dimensions and perspectives, without physically stepping into it. Even though Lost Memories and Split are separated into individually completed canvases, it also explores the effects of layering and composition, serving as a transition between 2-dimensional and 3-deminsional pieces. While these 3 pieces allow for the viewer to interpret the work from multiple points of view, Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Paths, and Work in Progress lack 3 dimensional features. However, their level of detailing still encourages viewers to observe them at a closer range, establishing a connection between the audience and exhibition while allowing viewers to gain a better understanding of my personal intentions behind each piece.
The circular organization allows viewers to walk through the exhibition and view the pieces as a story, paralleling a physical journey of discovering identity. The models, A Tale of Two and Caged Home, are exhibited on elevated pedestals as to keep each piece at a relatively equal eye level. The beginning piece, Work in Progress, is a representation of the ever-changing complex nature of defining “the self”, therefore highlighting an introduction to my exhibition and the concept of identity. Moving forward, after establishing a sense of vulnerability and growth through Mirror Mirror on the Wall and Hidden, I introduced more personal experiences – representations of my culture and home through Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Placing Unwritten at the center of the exhibition highlighted how the work incorporated aspects of identity from multiple perspectives. The element of red and Chinese symbols ties each piece together, as shown through the red cloth on Mirror Mirror on the Wall, the bold red background of Work in Progress, the color and symbol incorporated into the painting Split, and red symbols incorporated within the display of Caged Home, which casted a shadow from the top as well, A Tale of Two, Unwritten and Paths. The red communicates the feeling of emotional intensity and connection, while alluding to Chinese and Hong Kong culture.
The overall vision for presenting this body of works is to create a collection that conveys contrasting perspectives of personal and social identity through form, effectively allowing viewers to connect to their individual experiences while gaining a better understand of my culture and values.