Confessions from a 20 year old college female, 180x220 cm/ 71”x86”, Oil on Canvas
Does it have to be?, 140x160cm/ 55x63”, Oil on Canvas
The straight male artist paints his naked female muse in the bathtub and proceeds to have sex with her straight after to heal his lost, broken soul.
Laundry Service, 150x 180cm/ 60" x 72", Oil on Canvas
The Walk in the Same Position, 47” x 51”, Oil on Canvas
I Want to be A Bride, Not a Wife, 60" x 72", Oil on Canvas, Jan 2020
After obsessing about weddings for months, I decided to paint the image of the perfect wedding I created in my head. When I started thinking about why I liked the idea of weddings so much, I realized that I completely dissociated the concept of marriage from weddings. To me, a wedding is a day of celebration and is full of happiness and joy. Marriage, on the other hand, entails compromise and responsibility. I didn’t see the love that would maintain in the long term. I saw marriage more as a transaction rather than a loving relationship. However, the more I thought about it, I realized that it was really sad that I viewed marriage that way, especially when I hadn’t fallen in love yet. This painting is a way for me to regulate my thoughts on love, partnership and to come to terms with this dichotomy that I have created. Here, I am projecting my main fantasies of a perfect wedding: a destination wedding in the South of France, with a rose crepe cake from Lady M, free flow Champagne and a red rose bouquet I will hold.
Welcome to Tai O, 39" x 47", Oil on Canvas
In “Welcome to Tai O” I explore the concept of Hong Kong’s history as a fishing village pre British colonization. In an alternate universe, if Hong Kong was never colonized, I envision it to largely remain a fishing town. In this piece, I collaged together images of Tai O, a fishing town in Hong Kong. When I visited, the unique architecture of bamboo houses built atop of water and dried seafood stalls caught my eye. I used modeling paste to mimic the actual nature of these items, revealing the unique aspects of the town. Additionally, I explored the concept of colonization through text, the phrase on the building reads ‘Welcome to Tai O’ in cantonese, the dialect spoken in Hong Kong, a unique aspect the city holds. However, it is written in simplified Chinese rather than traditional, conforming to the text read and written by mainland China. Due to its colonized state, Hong Kong did not switch to simplified Chinese when China did.
Insomnia, 63”x 71”, Oil on Canvas, Oct 2019
This painting is an exploration to help me fully come to terms with my relationship with sleep in order to move past it and recover from insomnia.
My fear of sleep stems from my lack of self confidence and fear of failure. Growing up in Asia, amongst the middle-upper class who prasied higher education and elitism, I was engrained with the mindset that I was not enough and that I needed to work towards the top. I eventually fed myself the fake belief that sleep was a waste of time and the longer I stayed up the harder I was working.
When I close my eyes, all I hear are my thoughts telling me all the things I need to do and should be doing. My brain is like a gear as it never stops and my thoughts just keep rolling out. I get so furious with myself and that feeling of anger and helplessness haunts me throughout the night.
Self Portrait, 55” x 63”, Oil on Canvas, Sept 2019
After coming to Rome to attend the European Honors Program for the fall, I decided to start a series on self exploration to help me understand myself better. Whilst my past works have explored my relationships with loved ones, I haven’t been able to explore my own traumas and gain acceptance of myself yet which I hope to work towards while creating. 'Self Portrait’ marks the beginning of my journey of self exploration, discovering how comfortable I am not only with the way I present my body, but also how I present my self image as an Asian female to the public.
I was Chinese for Halloween, 39”x 47”, Oil on Canvas
When I was in Rome, I felt isolated, physically and culturally. It gave me consideration to where I stand as a Chinese student, living in a city that many deem a bastion of European art and culture, with our Art History classes all being specifically focused on European History.
This painting explores the surreal experience of trying to fit into this quintessentially European City as a Chinese Girl, struggling to adapt to the traditions and culture that defines Rome. Through this, I realized my identity isn’t defined by where I was from, but rather how the places I’ve lived and been to have shaped my experiences and ultimately my sense of self.
Rebirth, 55 "x 63", Oil on Canvas, Dec 2019
When I visited Pompeii in October of 2019, I was particularly struck by the cast remains of dead bodies at Pompeii, which inspired me to revisit some of my work from 2017. The deformed figures encased in glass boxes led me to contemplate on the ‘boxes’ or restrictions I’ve placed on myself. 4 years later, this ‘box’ holds a different meaning to me than it did back then.
‘Rebirth’ is a continuation of a piece I did in 2017, and rather than being representative of the anxiety, isolation and loneliness that inspired the initial piece, this continuation explores the celebration of the body, and how I am slowly embracing even the ugliest sides of my past to welcome the new.
落叶归根：三代女人
English Translation - Fallen leaves return to the roots: 3 Generations of Women
Oil on Canvas, 39”x 51”, Aug 2019
This painting depicts the different dynamics between the three generations of women in our family and the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter.
My mother and grandmother harbour decades of unspoken resentment between them. I often feel caught in the middle of their silent feud as they are both unwilling to directly confront each other and come to me with their complaints.
My mother has always suspected that my grandmother is not her biological mother and has thought about secretly doing a DNA test behind my grandmother’s back for a while. While she obtained pieces of my grandmother’s hair this summer, she found herself unable to proceed with the test.Their ties are too strong to be broken after 55 years of motherhood and my mother finds it too difficult to find out the actual truth.
Our crossroads, 20” x 20”, Oil on Gessoed Wood, Jan 2020
Various things that have shaped my life the way it is. My mother’s past, her relationship with Grandma, past memories from Chinese New Year, food that reminds me of home, my brother showing his love through cake, and my three stupid dogs.
Happy Cake Shop, 14”x 18”, Oil on Canvas, Mar 2019
Self Portrait , 36”x48”, Oil on Canvas, June 2020
Self Portrait, 24”x 36”, Oil on Canvas, June 2020