CURRENT (PHD)

Delving into the meaning of “mirage,” I created optical compositions of interpenetrating spatial and graphic forms. Whimsical creatures populate the fantastical landscapes I designed, including “sad, fat potatoes.” The installation is reminiscent of a 19th-century living room. Each design interprets Chinoiserie wallpapers found in Europe between the 18th and 19th centuries; their repetitions are exaggerated fortheatrical effect. A vital element of this work is the overwhelming sense of patterns that can induce vertigo.

The fascinating Chinoiserie style was a design trend for hundreds of years that Europeans eagerly embraced, captivated by the “otherness” of Asian countries. Despite their lack of first-hand experience, Europeans developed numerous theories about Asian culture, and their longing for another world fueled their obsession with these fanciful ideas. Many of these theories emphasized the naturalness of the imaginary world, contrasting it with the perceived degradation of Europe. In my works, I wanted to allude to the old longing, thus paraphrasing contemporary dreams of space travel. The characters I have placed in the landscapes are alien and strange, sometimes comedic, but they are all my imaginings of other worlds to which we have no access.