Collages

Artist Note: Surrealists believe in dreams and the stream of conscious “to overthrow what they perceived as the oppressive rationalism of modern society by accessing the sur réalisme (superior reality) of the subconscious” (MOMA). The practice of collage and assemblage is one of many forms of expression in this movement. Codification and extended metaphors are tools from my english literature, art history background and continued love of queerness, reading, analyzing, and allegories. As an art student, I learned how to paint first before I collaged so my approach can sometimes be painterly or arranged like a miniaturist; or inspired by the way an artist frames their canvases (literally, figuratively). I am inspired by: Robert Rauschenberg, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, Odilon Redon, Edouard Vuillard, Eugenia Loli, Beth Hoeckel, Frank Moth, Gordon Cheung, and The Pile of Brocade Ash School (bapo 八破, ‘8 Brokens’). I am also inspired by Dadaism and Dadaists like Hannah Höch and Max Ernst; neo-Dadaists like Nam June Paik; and still life paintings, moments mori, etc. The subconscious is doing a lot of the driving if I’m not driven by a project and/or deadline.