THE PHOBIA
"The Phobia" is a collection of my personal fears. The fears that I am representing includes the fear of not having security, fear of falling for temptation, fear of prejudice, fear of oppression and fear of being bullied. Food relating objects were chosen as a visual motif throughout the entire collection. Although all pieces convey a slightly different aspect of my identity when it comes to the situations I fear, when put together it documents a personal journey that I have persevered through.
It’s All by Chance
Illustrator Illustration
40 x 60 cm
A bully towers over a gum-ball machine that her victim is desperately trapped in. This piece, a commentary on bullying, depicts the gum-ball machine as a symbol of randomized victimization. The sinister expression of the bully underscores the fear of the victim in which she curls up like a gum-ball to blend in. The positive connotations associated with a gum-ball machine and the threatening oppressor constructs a jarring juxtaposition between the cheery design and the nature of bullying.
Tongue Piñata
Illustrator Gif
24 x 20 cm
The person hitting a tongue shaped Piñata conveys how ignorant individuals silences other’s voices. The ignorance is represented through the blindfold on the person as she does not know what she is hitting. The silenced minority looses important parts of themselves which is represented through the falling candies. The motion is in loop to signify the fact that silencing process occurs repeatedly. Like previous pieces of this series, conceptual inspiration came from the poem Somewhere in America.
Wrapped by the Tongue
Denim Fabric
40 x 60 cm
An extended tongue is used to convey the concept of how an individual no longer has control of their own expression. In the photos, the tongue is intended as a scarf that can be wrapped around the neck, the body or the head; this symbolize how when your voice is silenced it always infringes upon the comfort of an individual. Like the previous piece, conceptual inspiration came from the poem Somewhere in America. Details of the sections are collaged with fabric to create this broken unity.
Stuck with Lemons
Gouache, Ink
37 x 37 cm
The imagery in this piece is parallel to my own journey of conquering Asian stereotypes. Lemon is a derogatory term I heard used to describe people who are Asian. The girl in the jar is a line drawing and as she comes out she begins to adopt a three dimensional form with color and value; this symbolize that even the people who are being called lemons are real people who are dynamic and ultimately human and should not be decreased to one singular story.
Children Cupcakes
Photoshop Illustration
2m x 20cm
This piece is about the current social issue of child trafficking, where children are treated as products that could be consumed. This digital illustration depicts the irony of this issue, where the illegal trade of children has been planned so sophisticatedly and only for the purpose of wealth and pleasure. To maximize the contrast of the two subjects I chose a light hearted desert and replaced the cherries on top of the cupcakes with baby body parts.
What’s Gone
Linoleum Print
21.0 x 29.7 cm
The Chinese mythology, “Ghost Mother” is a story about a human who turns into a child-eating goddess due to the loss of her first child. This myth is parallel to the social issue of child trafficking. This piece illustrates the moment before a tragedy; the child is about to be brutally taken by the evil goddess. “What’s Gone” conveys the message of how an innocent child might be unaware of the possible dangers, but the existence of the “evil hand” will always put a child’s life at risk.
Metamorphosis
Pencil Gif
8.5 x 11 cm
A looped gif of donuts transforming into obese individuals is a commentary on the trade off between fitness and satisfaction. The six donuts in the box are accessorized with glaze and portrayed in an alluring manner to depict the temptation for individuals to consume this fattening dessert. The abrupt juxtaposition between the donut and the minuscule body parts of the obese individuals constructs a dark but humorous atmosphere.
Morphing Donuts
Clay, Acrylic, Wood
32 x 12 cm
Donuts’ slowly morphing into a human being within a box is a commentary on the tradeoff between health and pleasure. The donuts and the box is designed in an alluring manner to portray the attractiveness of the dessert. The subtle transformation from a regular donut to a human donut creates a jarring juxtaposition between the cheery design and obesity. The human donut in this piece represents an obese individual as there is a close resemblance between the overall shape.
