What is personal is universal, and the personal becomes political.

 

My artwork is about the contradiction of society’s norms. Through investigating relationships, I question the artist’s role to observe, inform, or critique the inconsistencies in human behavior. Using these ideas and my own experience, I create and interpret the society that I see.

 

My interest in political art comes from being a first generation American. I have witnessed first hand my parent’s struggle and sacrifice to provide for the family. They were disrespected and underestimated due the fact that they were not natural citizens. In spite of their limitations, they have managed to forge a life and render opportunities for my brother and me by giving us a foundation to grow as individuals. This has given me a perspective on issues of art and globalism.

 

The work begins with specific, personal thoughts, and the process starts with the breaking down and distilling of them. The thought is masked through obscuring in a way that creates frustration. This reflects the frustration I feel towards humanity, transferring similar emotions through the work.

 

The subject matter is often not inviting; it is offensive, critical, and satirical. I use sheer materials to create seductive, inviting space; it gives the impression of vulnerability and openness, while the content might in fact be more repellant. Irony and humor soften my critique of observed human behavior.

 

Both my mother and grandmother were professional tailors; their labor was meant to cater the needs of others while my labor as an artist fulfills my own needs. I am taking on an inherited role in my art making, manipulating the processes and material’s function to both convey and veil my thoughts of nonconformity.