Interview by Qimei Fu

What is the idea behind the abstractness and mystery in your conceptual work?

My conceptual work stems from various sources of inspiration: poems, artworks, historical events, dreams, mystical themes that seem to merge together to represent that current state of emotion felt. Often admittedly nonsensical, it’s a cathartic releasing of thoughts and ideas.

Where do you get inspiration?

Cinema has always been a major source of inspiration. Films such as Paris, Texas, The Holy Mountain, Persona, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, 2046, and The Virgin Suicides represent the sort of mood, composition, and aesthetic tone I aim to convey. Literary scenes, as described by writers such as Joan Didion and John Steinbeck, have also provided stimulus. Otherwise, it can also flow from random encounters and abstract placements of objects and spaces.

What are some artists you admire?

Georgia o Keefe, Ana Mendieta, Claudio Bravo Camus, Francis Bacon, Carlota Guerrero, Petra Collins, Shae de Tar, Titus Kaphar, Pixy Liao.

What’s the next step of your work?

I would love to publish a photo-book within the next two years and host a solo exhibition within the next five years. I hope to continue creating photographic series’ that I enjoy and work further in a mixed-media format, merging photography with design and painting.

Describe your creative process in one word.

Evolving

If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

Tarot. I’ve been researching, reading, and practicing tarot for the past twelve years, so it’s truly the one field I feel comfortable teaching and sharing my experiences with.

What was the last book you read or film you saw that inspired you?

The film Beanpole directed by Kantemir Balagov is an absolute masterpiece, exceptionally inspiring performance, art direction, and script-writing. I’ve also just finished re-reading Joan Didion’s The White Album, can never get enough of it.