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Statement About My Artwork: My recent work is composed of intuitively assembled juxtapositions that lead me to unique avenues of thought. My subjects and imagery come from my personal life, such as my Korean kindergarten students, cats and iguanas, words and phrases I’ve heard in sound bytes, read in books and magazines, and current issues and concepts which I often contemplate. Many of the juxtapositions in my work are uncomfortable, such as a very pink orchid censoring a kitten’s genitalia. I am compelled to explore the world of my inner mind as it relates to experiences in my life and (often controversial) values and concepts of my culture. My pets inspire me to reflect on issues of mortality, politics and ethics, so I make art about that. In my undergraduate career I minored in Physical Anthropology, and so I made art about humanity defining itself in terms of human evolution. I want to unnerve my audience just enough to make them wonder about these issues as well. I aim to provoke the viewers through use of whimsical renderings and combinations of subjects and phrases, such as two Korean children in Halloween costumes backed into a corner with the word “Food” superimposed between their bodies. If people laugh then the work has their attention. If they feel confused after laughing they are more amiable to introspection that connects them to my own inner world. It is that connection to other people that makes me want to make art for the rest of my life. |