Lina Chang – An Exploration of Beauty

Posted on | October 7, 2009 | 1 Comment

The paintings of Lina Chang can be found balancing on the delicate edge of beauty and exploitation, power and ornament. Exploring the movement of our species away from the natural world and our tendency to dissociate with our animalistic nature, Chang has created a thought-provoking series that challenges us to rethink our relationship with nature and reconnect with the beauty therein.

Your paintings are really beautiful but there’s a grotesqueness about them too. What do you make of this polarity? I encourage the viewer to find this link. Although yes, they are quite opposite, this is what I’m trying to have the viewer confront and to help them see the link.

We have a unique relationship between our own species and every other one. We find the beauty in animals but in order to capture it, we use brutality. And we often find the beauty in grotesque beings and vice versa, so I’m glad that I was able to capture it.

You’ve said that the theme of much of your work is the relationship between human and animal, and that sometimes we forget that we’re an animal species. Can you talk more about that? Our lives are so filled with distractions, that we often drift away from our roots. We are more concerned with trivial things that engulf our daily lives then the simplicity that our lives really are. We are all creatures that co-exist on the same planet and quite frankly should live harmoniously.

I try and comment on our dominate culture and how our “superiority” plays into our relationships, not only with other animals but among ourselves, between females, males, and children, between races and cultures, between sexual orientation and all the issues where a power struggle comes into play.

The background of wood suits these images nicely. What inspired you to use wood? I have always loved the ascetics of natural objects. So I felt it was only appropriate to paint on something that came from nature. I also feel that the grain of the woods help my subjects connect and convey their message through a natural canvas.

Was your intention to create this series or did the pieces just naturally follow each other? In the beginning, it was only typical trophy heads. As I went along it then expanded to all animals. I explored our connection to different animals and realized that we characterize and idolize certain animals. For instance the rabbit, I’ve named him Peter. He came to me based on the old children’s book Peter Rabbit.

I’ve found that in our culture many animals take on human-like qualities; Peter being a cute, young, and mischievous rabbit.

The animals will be an ongoing project, and I’m not quite sure where it will take me. However, my girls came after the trophy heads and I am continuing to explore this venue.

Who are the characters in your images? For the animals, they represent species that are dominated for their beauty and splendor and animals that we add attributes to, both fiction and real.

And in my mind, the women represent every woman. The battered and bruised along with the empowered, the compassionate, and all likes in-between.

What is your ideal workspace? I like to create a little nook. Wall space and my easel to hang painting as I go, supply table for my computer & paints, pictures, magazine cutouts and found images scattered around my workspace. I like to sit on a barstool so I can access anything I need in a spin.

I like my workspace to feel comfortable and cozy, (sort of like a nest) and have everything I need in arms reach. When I have things set up this way, I find that hours have flown by, but it keeps me productive. However, I’ve recently moved and my space has shrunk, so I’m in the process of re-inventing my workspace.

What other forms does your creativity take? Oh gosh, anything and everything that lets me explore my creativity! I love all aspects of visual arts, but my work is primarily oil paints, mixed media, digital illustration/graphic design, and some printmaking.

I love sculpture and public art, and would love to explore those art forms, but I’ve never had the chance. And I also entirely respect and enjoy the art of crafts, home design/decor, & fashion. I try and dabble in all types of art when I get the opportunity.

For more info and creations by Lina Chang, check out www.lina-chang.com

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One Response to “Lina Chang – An Exploration of Beauty”

Icasiana Barrs
October 8th, 2009 @ 10:26 PM

I am so proud of you LINA!!! You are such an amazing, beautiful, talented and REALLY SMART gal!
Love,
Icasiana

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Lina Chang – An Exploration of Beauty

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