Artist Statement
Finding Comfort Amidst Unbelonging
The pieces were inspired by a deeply personal experience, one in which I found myself caught between two worlds but felt excluded from both. My creative expressions reflect the complex struggles and challenges that arise from being a foreigner in a country that may not always welcome outsiders with open arms. Yet, in my art, I also aim to emphasize the beauty and resilience that can emerge from these experiences, as well as the opportunity for growth and learning.Through my work, I explore the complex interplay between unbelonging and the sources of comfort that can help us navigate this feeling.
My pieces, “Comfort,” “Home,” “Isolation,” and “Depletion,” convey the emotional and psychological nuances of unbelonging, while celebrating the resilience and resourcefulness that can emerge from this experience. Inspired by a multitude of elements and memories from both the Philippines and Malaysia, I incorporated many of these into my illustrations, such as The Taal Volcano, The Pregnant Maiden Island of Langkawi, and more. Creating a dreamscape sense was one of my goals, since my dreams are often the inspiration to some of the stories I cook up in my head. I also wanted them to be vibrant and colourful, to say that despite everything, I am still happy and proud of where I came from and the experiences I had.