BAO TO
I am a Vietnamese artist based in New York. My favorite mediums are digital art, photography, and charcoal.
In my recent investigation, I explore ways to portray elevated emotions. This is a self-reflection topic, where I deal with moments of frustration, anger, pressure, and emotional revelations. In doing this, I also answer questions: How do I imagine myself in these situations? What are ways in which such an image can be visualized? Is there a way to explore from the literal to the abstract of this idea? Drawing inspirations from artists like Erwin Wurm, Rebecca Horn, Cindy Sherman, Sarah Lucas, and Rosa Verloop, I explore multiple mediums to create visual representations of elevated emotions. Starting out with digital photographs that give me a lot of flexibility, I switch to learning how to use 3D formats and different materials in my pieces. Doing so, I want to trigger the viewers’ senses beyond the visual hints, bringing them to consider different ways to approach my work. I struggle a lot while doing this. With unfamiliar mediums comes the trouble of learning how to best utilize their properties, and I sometimes do not know how to use materials at their full potential. Through this thesis, I want the viewers to reflect on the effect that long-term suppression of emotions can have on them, and investigate the positive or negative emotions that are hiding inside their hearts. Through this thesis, I want the viewers to see fragments of myself, crumbling, blooming, unprotected.
In my sustained investigation, I ask: How have I dealt with hidden emotions and transformed myself to embrace them? In a traditional Vietnamese household, I was taught to act like a man. They said being emotional is weak. Hiding, I put on a mask to prevent people from knowing my true face. How did my barriers fail against my emotions? I gave in. Fervent yet naive, I was confused and unsure of myself. Filled with paranoia, I was not in control. However, as time passed, I was able to regulate emotions, and freely express my feelings while being selective in what I show people.
My artworks reveal my movement through different mediums according to my
emotional journey. From brush strokes, real and digital, I realize situations that appear in my struggle. Experimenting with lights and post-processing within the digital space, I use photographs for realistic self-portraits. Photographic manipulation develops throughout my work as I portray my feelings through bodily expressions. As I mature in expressing my feelings, I mix drawings with photos to challenge the dynamics between imagination and reality.
In my recent investigation, I explore ways to portray elevated emotions. This is a self-reflection topic, where I deal with moments of frustration, anger, pressure, and emotional revelations. In doing this, I also answer questions: How do I imagine myself in these situations? What are ways in which such an image can be visualized? Is there a way to explore from the literal to the abstract of this idea? Drawing inspirations from artists like Erwin Wurm, Rebecca Horn, Cindy Sherman, Sarah Lucas, and Rosa Verloop, I explore multiple mediums to create visual representations of elevated emotions. Starting out with digital photographs that give me a lot of flexibility, I switch to learning how to use 3D formats and different materials in my pieces. Doing so, I want to trigger the viewers’ senses beyond the visual hints, bringing them to consider different ways to approach my work. I struggle a lot while doing this. With unfamiliar mediums comes the trouble of learning how to best utilize their properties, and I sometimes do not know how to use materials at their full potential. Through this thesis, I want the viewers to reflect on the effect that long-term suppression of emotions can have on them, and investigate the positive or negative emotions that are hiding inside their hearts. Through this thesis, I want the viewers to see fragments of myself, crumbling, blooming, unprotected.
In my sustained investigation, I ask: How have I dealt with hidden emotions and transformed myself to embrace them? In a traditional Vietnamese household, I was taught to act like a man. They said being emotional is weak. Hiding, I put on a mask to prevent people from knowing my true face. How did my barriers fail against my emotions? I gave in. Fervent yet naive, I was confused and unsure of myself. Filled with paranoia, I was not in control. However, as time passed, I was able to regulate emotions, and freely express my feelings while being selective in what I show people.
My artworks reveal my movement through different mediums according to my
emotional journey. From brush strokes, real and digital, I realize situations that appear in my struggle. Experimenting with lights and post-processing within the digital space, I use photographs for realistic self-portraits. Photographic manipulation develops throughout my work as I portray my feelings through bodily expressions. As I mature in expressing my feelings, I mix drawings with photos to challenge the dynamics between imagination and reality.
