MUSHIN a group exhibition at Casa Lü residency in Mexico City 2023
In this series of works, I'm breaking away from my traditional mediums to expand our concept of body and mind. At Casa Lü, I've been working with gouache on raw linen with the addition of materials such as cotton, fabric, and jewelry, where I hope to fabricate the vision of my emotional and dreamlike state. I've been exploring the idea of other worlds, dreamscapes, and memories through gouache and mixed media.
Through these materials, I've chosen to leave pockets of raw linen visible to shed light on the concept of the unknown in our dreams and in our minds in general, to leave room for the viewer to imagine beyond what I've shown. Additionally, I'm using sheer fabrics, pearls, and beads to add layers and textures and create an image that feels more palpable; these additional layers add an element that can bring the viewer closer to the world I'm presenting.
The images I choose to paint arise from my emotions and dreams. I'm constantly seeking to define the thread that runs from my dreams to my emotional state, as they are so closely intertwined. I find myself recalling my dreams to better understand myself and put images to my emotions. I want to encourage viewers to find some "play" in their own consciousness; to discover how their emotions physically feel, what they smell like, what they look like.
I've chosen not to frame my work so that the transition from one painting to the next isn't as solid and so that they feel more expansive than what's painted on the linen. By breaking the box they're in with cotton clouds or a fringed exterior, they will fall into the same universe and exist together. While our emotions or dreams often seem separate and distant from one another, they exist within the same consciousness of their keeper. I would like the viewer to discover new ways of seeing their mind and body, as it is their home. If we can find imagination in our dreams and emotions, we can find lightness and creativity, even in difficult times.
