When I re-examine my finished works from the audience’s point of view, I see them as mysteries, as if mirrors covered by veils that only allow for a glimpse of the truth, to be uncovered only when the viewer becomes a part of the world on canvas, and I see my paintings as energy beings beckoning the viewers to do just that. When a viewer is “caught” in a painting, there is a definitive connection, and the work is thus “correct” in terms of aesthetics and composition. When I re-approach my works as a viewer, I imagine the images as framed and displayed in a certain space such as a gallery or a museum, since I don’t know how I feel about a painting until it is hung on the wall. Hence, one of my favorite parts of exhibitions is when people tell me how they feel about and what they see in my works, and then I become a viewer of viewers.
It’s fascinating to see how people see certain things based on their own archetypes, culture, gender, and age. The same image generates completely different impressions in the eyes of a child, an adult, an Asian, or a westerner. Even a simple choice of color can represent a different symbol depending on the viewer’s culture. For me, hearing the viewer’s interpretations opens up a world of possibilities.
