Project Statement
My thesis work is the latest footprints of my investigation of beauty, light, and m subconscious. Beauty is a very subjective thing, but everyone wants beauty in our life. I tried to define “beauty” through making my thesis paintings. Also, expressions of light are a very important element because I have always been attracted to light since I was child. I tried to understand why light is so special to me through the painting process. Lastly, in order to make my paintings truly represent myself, I used automatic drawing to visualize my subconscious. The paintings turned out to represent how I have been feeling everyday. They are about the never ending pain of life and fake hope. My paintings are not political or conceptual. They are just about myself. I used non-narrative landscape scenes as subject matters so that the viewers can easily make connections with their personal experiences and the emotional expression of the paintings.
Artist Statement
Art is a playground for my creativity and curiosity. Since I was small, I was captivated and drawn to the fantastical and mysterious, for example, unknown worlds, nature, the universe, darkness, cultures, and even the narrow roads. The power of curiosity is more than influential on people. It is the human nature to want to know what awaits us beyond the mountains, the darkness, or in the future. My work is the carriage which takes me, and I hope you too, to the worlds beyond the borders.
Besides being a playground, art helps me to connect with people. Because of my social anxiety, I always had difficulty communicating with people and felt lonely until I met painting. My work represents my personality and my interests; therefore, people are able to peek into my mind before talking to me about my work. Because the conversation topic is going to be about my work, I can carry out the conversation confidently and comfortably. Since I started painting, I have made many friends with whom I can talk comfortably. Art is such an important tool to connect to community.
One of my important career goals is creating something that makes people’s lives happier, for instance, the illustrations for children’s books. I always loved reading fairy tales, old folklore, and children’s books. Among them, the Finnish artist Tove Jansson’s Moomin series impacted me greatly. The innocent stories accompanied by her mysterious, creepy illustrations ignited my imagination and curiosity. Like Jansson, I hope to see my art decorating people’s daily lives, not only children’s but especially adults’.
As an art student, I am currently experimenting with a variety of mediums and styles of art, but I am especially drawn to painting. Strong light and shadow contrast and vibrant colors are the characteristics of my current paintings. I feel light is an emotional expression of the world. During the daytime, the sun creates beautiful dramatic contrasts. When the sun goes down, the moon, stars, fire, bioluminescence, cities’ neons, and so on create whole new worlds. Lights are always flickering, disappearing, and reappearing as if they are breathing or heart beats. I am fascinated by light because their constantly changing expressions make me feel as if they are living beings.
I hope my work ignites your imagination and help you travel to the amazing worlds of your own imaginations.
