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From Chris Rock’s documentary Good Hair (2009) to Solange’s song Don’t Touch My Hair (2016), we understand that hair for the Black community is more than just appearance. It is a multi-million-dollar industry, a struggle in disrupting euro-centric beauty standards, as well as a declaration of self-loving pride. Your work, Traces of Ebony (2017), tells a similar story, can you tell us how this project come about? What were the materials that you used in these works, was it a complicated process?

The origins of my work have always been self-rooted. I was and continue to question why and how I move through the world the way I do, and being a Black woman is the foundation. I didn’t grow up around seeing many women or peers with the same kinky curly hair as mine, that comfortably and confidently wore their hair naturally. I did not begin to dissect why I didn’t feel comfortable wearing my hair in its natural state until I moved Atlanta. Here all of my friends wore their natural hair, and I began to notice and admire their confidence. As I tried to come up with the roots of why I felt I couldn’t be as confident as my friends were in their natural state, I thought of my experiences growing up and wanted to blame it on my ignorance. However, I was influenced to dig deeper, because that mindset I had come to adopt, had to come from somewhere as well.

Looking at media, ads, and other dominant portrayals of beauty, it is easy to see that black women aren’t shown as the most desirable. Being a young Black woman trying to figure out this influence of lack of self-love for my hair, I soon realized it was due to comparison to White/Euro beauty ideals, not on a conscience level, but one that was subconsciously rooted over my lifetime then.

As I was exploring how to portray my new-found dignity, I began adhering hair to portraits of Black women. While further exploring this process. My attention was brought to a “custom” or trend as we may call it today, from the Victorian era called carte de visites. These were small calling cards that people would share and became in circulation in Europe and the United States. As you can image people in these photographs portrayed the ideal beauty standards at the time. Taking the trend a step further, women started to adhere hair to their calling cards. Carte de visites in this fashion with black women’s hair was not seen. After discovering this historical trend and realizing that this was one of the roots to the lack of black beauty portrayals, I decided to remake this trend to include black women to celebrate our beauty and especially our hair. The style, tone, hand colored portions as well as the hair adhered to the portraits of my friends, are to evoke the memory of black women from that time. To remember that their presence and beauty existed, and that it still exists today.

In contemporary art photography, we are seeing a rise in the portrays of bodies of colors; how do you understand this phenomenon? Why is it important for people of color to be shown through the lens of art photography?

Touching back on the point of the start of the carte de vistes, photography has had a hand in shaping our lives in society. When photography began to be redistributed and became representative of portrayals of idealism, you can see that Black bodies and bodies of color have been misrepresented as well as under-represented. Although the concept of equality should be easy to grasp as a human right, that right has been withheld from people of color over the course of history. I think photography as well as other media is a tool to relay messages to people. Therefor the rise in the portrayal of bodies of color is to show their existence, show their experiences, show their ideals of beauty, and anything else that is true to them; To no longer be seen through a White/Euro gaze then regurgitated as truth.

During this pandemic, have you able to produce any new work? What have you learned, as an artist, to face a global epidemic like this? 

Interestingly enough, this pandemic has caused me to be able to begin creating work again. As the pandemic progressed, and things became more out of my control, I found time as well as a will to create, without having a clear goal or message prior. I’m still not sure what to make of, or what the project I created during this time is saying, but I’m ok with that right now. For me as an artist, this time has shown me that you might not know how or why you are creating something at the time, but this is ok. Life has a way of taking you out of your comfort zone either way, so just do what you can in the moment.

In the wake of Gorge Floyd’s death, most non-Black Americans have finally joined the Black Lives Matter movement to demand justices and defeat systematic racism. As an artist of color, how does this rise of BLM movement nationally, even globally, affect your art practice?

Honestly it doesn’t really change much for me and the work that I do or will do. I hope that people continue to fight and seek justice for the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the heart-breaking number of Black women and men who have lost their lives as a result of systemic racism, and not let the cycle continue and begin to undo it.

I hope my work can aid in the true and positive representation of Black women, and ultimately spark a change in mindset to those who don’t know of the Black experience, and/or have been given a false and warped depiction of what it is to be Black.

Your work The Sculpture of David Was Destroyed in The Square (2019) resembles a lot to the recent vandalism of confederate statues across America in the wake of Gorge Floyd’s death. What was your original inspiration for creating this piece, and what is your understanding of destruction in arts?

Let’s talk about the initial inspiration for this piece. A while back when I was looking through photos taken during my childhood and family travels, I noticed that in almost every photo of the sculptures in these sites had been vandalized or defaced. There would me messages written on the surface of the sculptures like “so-and-so visited here, so-and-so I love you and so on.” Then I learned from the older generation’s memories and some history books about the destruction of cultural relics during the Cultural Revolution, where people went crazy over ancient sculptures and architectures. During my travels to Europe that I also saw a lot of graffiti and damage flooding the classical sculptures. This act of taking out national consciousness, political ideas, and personal emotions on inanimate materials created an interest in my research. I wondered what it was that made a group of people develop some kind of intense emotions towards simply processed stones, woods, steels, and concretes, to the extent that they have to be removed and overturned. You see some people now in America, Black or white, demanding the removal of confederate statues. As an Asian person and a foreigner, it is really not my place to have an opinion. However, if a part of dark history is being glorified through the medium of sculptures and revokes the pain of the victims, then the sculpture is unquestionably problematic. 

Secondly, I would like to talk about my understanding of art being destroyed. I think that any work of art will eventually be destroyed, even if there is no human involvement, the erosion of time will eventually destroy them. The classics that we can still appreciate today carry so much meaning and special emotion that we try our best to preserve them. Though, there can be so many unpredictable variations that any changes can put the work at high risk. At the same time, I also think these works can be resilient if they have already survived hundreds of years. 

I understand that you were trained in traditional sculptural practice, what is your understanding of the different styles in sculptures between the West and the East?

Yes, I was trained in very traditional Western classical realist sculpture. However, the interesting thing is that this long training was done in China.

In contemporary understanding, Eastern sculpture is mainly characterized as impressionistic, while Western sculpture is mainly about realism. In the primitive period, however, the characteristics of Eastern and Western sculpture were not very different and there were many similarities. The formal differentiation should have occurred at the end of the Warring States period, the beginning of the Qin Dynasty, while the West should have been at the end of the Classical period, the beginning of the Hellenistic period. (Around 300 B.C.) Of course, the styles of Eastern and Western sculpture were influenced by geography, ethnicity, politics, economics, and warfare. I believe we have to also consider the two civilizations of farming and maritime — the more mature they become, the more prominent they are in their art.  

As an Asian artist living and working in America, what is the biggest challenge in your artistic endeavor? 

I think the biggest challenge would be to find my self-identity. In fact, the way I was trained as a child to observe, to draw, and to understand art are all based on Western aesthetic standards. It controlled my aesthetics, trapped my way of thinking, and limited my interest in other art forms. This pattern of education led me to focus, even admire solely, the masterpieces of Western art history. My upbringing, however, was entirely in the East, which led to a lack of understanding not only of my own country’s art history, but also of Eastern art as a whole. I had a great deal of distrust and skepticism in my artwork. It was only after I came to the United States that I realized the impact of the long “colonization” of art education on me. I have lost sight of the essence of my own culture and have lost the ability to judge different cultures.

In the last two years, there have been many rebellious and destructive elements in my work, which is my instinct from within and also my subjective will. The intent was not only to have the intention of breaking the long-standing control of basic aesthetic education over my thoughts, but also to re-examine my cultural origins and to seek self-identification. So, you can see in David, I not only wanted to smash the classics of Western culture, which are fed by the capitalist aristocracy, I also used the graffiti to vandalize the surface. I feel as if I were a blue-collar worker, I want to use these cheap, convenient industrial products that are also the source of the blood and sweat that these capitalists are extracting from us, as a weapon to fight back.

We see a trend in the globalization of arts, as a transcultural artist, what could be your biggest concern? 

I think every artist has a lot of concerns in this globalizing world, but I think multiple sources of information can be a supply to the creative process. I used to be interested in the changes in international relations, especially the political trends between China and the United States in recent years, as well as network information security, high technology products and so on. Of course, as a minority living in the United States, racism is still the biggest issue.

But after this epidemic, my biggest concern is my health. 

During this pandemic, have you been experimenting with new methods in making art? Can you talk about a little bit about your recent paper-based work? 

Yes, during this epidemic I experimented with many creative methods. Because of the space limitations, my first phase was mainly acrylic paintings on canvas in small sizes. In the second phase, I switched to paper and started experimenting with watercolor and paper. I’ve also started learning how to make sculptures on the computer and hope to print them out when the epidemic situation gets better.

In addition, the core idea of these recent works on paper is still based on the research direction of “the connection between real space and imaginary space”. My previous thinking in this regard was concretized in the connection between human social life and virtual networks. But the epidemic has forced me to isolate myself, and while living in a limited space, far away from the social world. Connecting to the outside world, an important aspect of my work, has become a luxury. I had to re-examine my relationship with the outside world and where the work was heading next.

I read a number of books on the relationship between inside and outside, on energy transitions, and one of them was on East Asian shamanic culture. It claims that people have an energy called “灵(spirit).” This energy cannot be seen or touched, but it is present in the body. The shaman can perform rituals to cause the “spirit” to be transferred to other living beings to receive warnings and wisdom from nature. And as a Manchu living in Northeast Asia, I saw these shamans at a very young age through their dancing rituals. These new realizations, that are related to my memories and identity, opened up new avenues for my research. Therefore, I began to look for ways to represent the spirits by using colors.  At first, I used basic warm and cold contrasts to distinguish between the two energies of real and imaginary. Then I discovered a principle and instrument for thermal imaging, so I started to experiment a lot with these contrasting. Also experimenting complementary warm and cold colors to represent the visual state of the two energies when they meet. In all the images, which are related to life, I cut out specific tissues and organs, except for the eyes. Because the eyes are an important means of psychic energy in shamanic rituals, and also, the eyes are a very significant for East Asians. The special treatment of the eyes is in fact my way of expressing my identity.

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Western art canon can be seen as a white dominating principle that does not necessarily highlight the Black experience. Your work, on the contrary, is all about the glory of Black bodies and the beauty of Blackness. Can I say that you use your own body as an instrument for making art? As a queer artist of color, why is it so important to emphasize the body? 

After many years of struggling to find my confidence within my Blackness I realized the Black body in and of itself is art. The resilience of existence and consistency of excellence is sublime and needs to be seen as a work of art. I incorporate my own body into my work to show where and how Blackness over generations has arrived and continues to pioneer mainstream trends. As a queer Black individual, it’s important to emphasize the body because flesh in general should be relatable from race to race… but it’s not… and it’s because of a lack of knowledge and consistency of proper representation.

Black Lives Matter is considered as one of the largest movements in American history. It is not only domestic; the movement is also international. We are seeing changes happening in all industries, especially in the arts. What is your take on this movement? How does this movement inspire you as an artist?
I have been invigorated by this moment through being pressure cooked in the depression of it all. It’s been both devastating and inspiring to see such an influence worldwide. I feel that through these exposing times there’s a lot of self liberating happening especially with young Black creatives. We are no longer desiring to uphold our work within the rubrics of success from white institutions, rather, we are creating our own spaces and collaborating with other Black artists to prove to the world that we need nobody but ourselves. I am the most passionate, confident and grounded with my art right now.

I understand that besides photography, you also focus on videography/art film. You have an upcoming short film coming up, would you like to talk a little bit about this new project? 

I am in the process of writing a docu-series to continue to educate and illuminate Black beauty. It will essentially delve into the very diverse and complex mindsets of young Black creatives and how we exceed the margins that society has put us in. It is the biggest project I have spearheaded, and I will be working with so many gifted artists to bring it to fruition. I want to diversify this series by rooting it in beauty. I plan to have it be part interview (group setting and one on one) as well as it being part performance. I want to shoot it almost in the way music videos are shot with elaborate sets and colorful lights to beautifully frame the beauty of these individuals. I plan to begin filming within the next two months.

We are seeing an unstoppable force for globalization, and it manifests significantly in its transculturalism. What is your take on the globalization of cultures? Do you have any thoughts on the concept of cultural appropriation?

I personally believe cultural crossover is an inevitable force. However, I believe that while cultures merge there needs to be boundaries set to maintain respect and eliminate stealing. We must remain rooted and educated in where things come from and put the people of those cultures front and center when we showcase these things instead of only showing whitewashed versions of things that are sacred to someone’s identity. Integrity.

Can you talk a little bit about the entire series of NSA (No Strings Attached)? How did it come about? What stage are you in in terms of the entirety of the series?

When applying to a visa before moving to the US, I was requested to provide a long list of documents and personal information during the process, with absolutely no guarantee of acceptance. It was interesting to see how much data the government was holding about me, even during the earlier stages when I was applying for a tourist visa and later on for permanent residency. I took that opportunity to create a fictional relationship imaging a supposed government officer collecting information about me, as I was developing this one-sided romantic relationship.

In many ways, immigration for me is like a romantic relationship, as in both situations you have to deal with boundaries, control, fantasy, and expectations. I was also interested in understanding the nature of this relationship. Taking in consideration the lack of commitment, transparency and complicity from both sides, I can only think of something like ‘no strings attached’. The NSA acronym also refers to National Security Agency, which brings a political dimension into the equation.

So, for the NSA series I’ve been creating works related to both personal and political aspects of immigration in a variety of mediums including printmaking, installation, video, web-based projects, and photography.

I’ve seen it as an ongoing project, as it is really linked to my identity as an immigrant living in the US and how I relate to a different culture.

Pile (NSA)is made of forms of original US Customs and Border Protection survey. How did you gain access to these forms, and why are they crucial to this piece? 

Pile is an installation composed by a stack of the original US Customs and Border Protection survey from floor to ceiling. The survey was originally handed out on planes getting into the US and at the airport. Everytime entering the country, I would keep some copies with me.

For the installation, I reproduce its content and layout in order to have as many copies as necessary to create the pile. In the gallery context, it becomes a column that supports the building structure as a visual metaphor for immigration.

You are originally from Brazil, but now living and working in New York City. What have you learned, as an artist, from this transcultural and transnational experience? 

It is interesting having different perspectives of the art world in Brazil and the US, how organizations work and possibilities to make your practice active and visible. I am highly motivated by what is happening around me from a social and political perspective and both countries have so much going on, so much inspiration and rich cultural lives. It is a great position to be as an artist and being able to join the conversation making work about difficult and urgent topics. As an immigrant artist, I feel like I need to combine both experiences to find a middle ground where I feel more comfortable.

Facing the global pandemic, how do you understand the new normal? How will you incorporate your art-making into this adjustment to a brand new world? 

I hope we can keep the slow pace and put in place more cooperative political practices. If anything, this time has forced us to think about speed, space, and relationships. We will need to rethink how we relate to public spaces, mobility and interactions.

https://rodrigomoreira.com.br/pile-nsa/

Your work Space-baby is not only masterful executed in terms of its technicality, but also suggests playful wisdom. In a time of global crisis, it seems more important than ever for us to find that inner child, can you talk a little bit about this work?

I first want to thank you for having me participate in this show. It’s so important during these difficult times. Space-Baby has become a very important symbol in my work representing a new awareness of ourselves and how we see the world. As a Latin American artist, I work with inherited cultural imagery to explore issues that are important to our time. Today we live in a globalized world that has us face issues of identity and representation that must be challenged and redefined. A son of immigrant parents like so many around the world I’ve had to reimagine what culture, ethnicity and nationalism means to me. Space Baby symbolizes that newfound awareness of ourselves in a globalized context discovering the strength and value of our individual stories. Everyone has a story to be told.

Is it fair to say that your work suggests a lot about your Columbian heritage? If so, can you talk a little bit about why is your cultural heritage vital to your artmaking?

Yes, my Colombian heritage is very much a part of everything that I do because it is one of the lenses with which I see the world. My sense of self was formed in an environment of cultural preservation where memory and language were of utmost importance. Not only knowing but expressing oneself correctly and effectively in another language really shapes how one sees and relates to the world. Growing up in NYC among so many other cultures cemented my feeling of otherness propelling me to dive deeper into the story of my culture and ethnicity. There are few things more intimate and fulfilling than the connection, understanding and acceptance of our past. Good art comes from the act of self-discovery and my work reflects this.

As a transcultural artist, what is your take on globalization? 

“Globalization” is a term that can be used to express many things whether political, cultural or economic in a negative or positive fashion. I feel that globalization is the natural progression of civilization on this planet and it’s been going on the moment humans left Africa. We are all a product of globalization and myself as an artist is no exception. In accepting this reality however I do believe there is a struggle to be had. History is written by the powerful with culture and influence being no different. For better or worse the story at large has been told through a European and North American narrative. As a Latino artist my view of the world comes from a different story with a different sensibility that needs to be told. The struggle to include stories of all kinds and from all corners of the world needs to be had and Artists are an integral part of this.

Your work also possesses the traits of Surrealism, can you talk a little bit about your understanding of this important artistic movement and its place in today’s art world?

My attraction to Surrealism is a very effortless one starting early in my work. There is an intrinsic familiarity and understanding of surrealism and metaphysics in Latin culture. Whether through Mediterranean, indigenous and African cultures the concept of the “spirit of things” is extremely important. In Surrealist and Metaphysical art there is a belief of things being much more than what they appear. Whether it’s an object or a dream serving as a catalyst to a truth to be discovered or unveiled. This philosophy of “the spirit of things” is one that I hold dear in my work digging deeper to explore the unconscious. Artist like Di Chirico, Magritte, Frida Kahlo, Dali and others reminds us what this search can look like but I feel that this method of discovery and understanding should be more present than ever. Art has had an integral function ever since humans started to have the cognitive ability to make it. Art has always served as a portal to a world where part of us all reside. Artists like priests or shamans have been the Gatekeepers of the unconscious helping to decipher and understand our history and present experiences. However, in modern times through a European and North American lens I mentioned earlier art has come to be at service to itself. We became fascinated with a more scientific approach to art breaking it down to its more basic building blocks. Color, texture, line, sound and any other aspect of art have been studied and explored but consequently disconnecting us from meaning just beyond its own physical attributes. To be clear I’m not rejecting any school of art because it’s all necessary and valid but I do feel that this “purification” of art has sacrificed its role in society. My hope is that in this new world where many stories are told we rediscover the surreal and metaphysical aspects of art connecting us back to the “spirit of things” where truth and meaning lies just beyond our conscious reach.

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