Artist Statement

Using shattered glass to depict resilience or painting broken bodies to show strength, my work deals with contrasts, exploring central questions about the heart of humanity.  My childhood was marked by frequent relocations, which planted a sense of insecurity in me. To cope, I devoted myself to reading and making art, seeking solace in the insights of wise authors and artists. Discovering philosophy in high school, my complex emotions started to make sense as I explored Plato’s theory on the stages of human recognition in my painting “Bubble.” This combination of philosophy and art reflects my deeply introspective artistic process, which explores human nature and self-awareness.

In “Resilience,” I drew on David Hume’s idea that there is never a fixed self to explore the fluidity of our self-concept over time. I shattered glass bottles to represent the effect of mental trauma, resulting in a fragmented state of mind. Using hot glue and UV gel, I reassembled the glass pieces into a candle stand, a hopeful symbol for future stability. Gluing the broken pieces back together represented the healing process of remaking ourselves. To further illustrate the process of how experience reshapes our minds and leads us towards self-understanding, I added an aspect of performance, projecting a narrative poem on self-discovery onto the candle stand. The interactive qualities of “Resilience,” as with most of my pieces, build conversation between the audience, materials, space, and time. For instance, the distorted images viewers see of themselves in “Resilience”’s glass represent an extension of our minds, a conscious image of our unconscious self — drawing on Freudian theory.

Growing up, my most painful moments sparked the deepest reflections and clearest realizations. As such, most of my work tries to deliver a visual sense of pain to evoke self-reflection in the viewer. I prefer playing with light and shadow rather than colors, as the contrast helps me create a sense of simplicity and renders a melancholic atmosphere. My art is a reflection of my life experience, philosophical curiosities, and mission to understand the human condition. My goal is to not only deepen my understanding of art but also offer my audience a mirror of their own experiences and emotions.