Teacher Name: Mr. Lance Larsen
Grade: 12
Materials: Acrylic on Cardboard
Dimensions: 11” × 22”
Description: As a Korean-Indian artist born and raised in Chicago, I find inspiration in my rich ethnic culture and the beauty of my parents’ homelands. In the summer of 2022, I traveled to Hardiwar, India, to perform a Pooja (ceremonial Hindu prayer and ritual) for my Badimama (paternal grandmother) with my family on the shores of the Ganga river. This piece not only represents my distant relationship with India but my love for my family and culture. The vibrant bridge separating the viewer from the mesh of buildings and mountains symbolizes how my mixed heritage sets me apart from feeling truly Indian. My Badimama shaped my childhood with Bollywood movies, Northern Indian food, and stories of her life in Kashmir. In a small snapshot and painting of Hardiwar, I feel connected to my Badimama and the India she loved.
Artist Statement: I am a Korean-Indian artist born and raised in Chicago. Living in an urban setting has shaped my perspectives and developed my love for interior and still-life painting. Placed among tall buildings, small spaces, and tight alleys, I focus on the finer aspects of life. My pieces emerge from spaces of isolation and prolonged interactions with my surroundings and personal possessions. Repetitive contact with my environment opens my eyes to the numerous possibilities of form and construction.
Exploring concepts inspired by music and nature funnel my creativity. I find inspiration in my rich ethnic culture and the beauty of my parents’ homelands. Lyrical poetry and dramatic melodies spark the flow of images drifting through my consciousness, translating into my art pieces. I craft landscapes, creatures, and objects using thick brush strokes and heavy-bodied paint to create texture and movement.
My art is a blend of two cultures stippled into the canvas with a stroke of a brush. Carved out into paper, I represent generations of learning, creativity, and style. Using colors and organic shapes, I embed parts of myself into each piece. My relationship with creative media and my imagination carries my work across boundaries. Every piece has its own voice, from the 10-second sketch to the 7 hours spent on each little detail.
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