Issue 001: Tiffany V. Chin
Tiffany V. Chin is the queen of interesting perspectives and textures through photography. Her up close angles remind us somehow of Georgia O’Keefe American Modernism; just as we see the closeness of petals with O’Keefe, with Chin we see a burst of colors from a lobster, or an empty SPAM can on a park bench. But she doesn’t stop there. Chin’s B&W photographs also enter their own realm of movement and interesting juxtaposition that captivates just as nicely.
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Mony by Tiffany V. Chin
The Interview:
How did you get started?
I started drawing again after graduate school. I drew when I was young but I stopped in college, believing that I should not be ‘indulgent’. That was short-sighted, because art is one of the only unique talents I ‘have’, and otherwise I am just another piece of talking, living meat. Anyway, I am glad because now I am ‘with’ art again. A friend referred to it as “getting back in the sack” with art, which I thought was pretty funny.
What are you doing now?
I am working on robot sketches. My ambition is to get my robots to a level where aspects of them seem disturbingly human. If they’re ready, I’ll paint them. Ideally, they would look dark and strange like George Condo’s paintings, but really, I will just see what I can whip up. I am also still working on my “Money” series, which will include one inspired by stained glass. I also plan to create a series called “Everyday Things” which is just silly objects. This includes my “Imaginary Bookshelf” drawing.
What inspires you?
Overall, I find weirdness compelling and inspiring. I admire people like John Waters for their willingness to go off like explorers in this strange world. I try to seek out people who are willing to sprinkle bizarre references into their conversation, because most other people will not tolerate me for very long. I think subjecting yourself to weird thoughts within conversation, movies, etc., it forces your mind to travel somewhere new. When I have a perfectly generic conversation, I feel I am taking a road trip to somewhere dreadfully mundane. Extra points for inspiration come from conversations that combine weirdness and humor.
A hilarious, strange joke affects me on a mental level and an emotional level. With some of my art, I too, hope to target those areas.
Also, cartoons. The unenlightened will tell you that cartoons are reserved for children, but we all know that too many adults that act in a cartoonish, exaggerated, absolutely crazy manner, and cartoons are well suited to capture that ridiculous kind of behavior. I enjoy the accessible humor present in cartoons, in their visual style and subject manner, and I like to use that cartoony spirit in my art.
What does art mean to you? In other words, define art for us.
1) Art is a way of communicating. When trying to express exactly how I feel about a certain situation, person, etc., I can be far more articulate in art, than with words.
2) Art is a way for me to imagine defining my world. I believe that people try to dominate each other, in small and quiet ways as well as loud and aggressive ways. After a while, it is all very tiring to deal with these mental invasions. It is no real world defense, but it is gratifying to use extremely dark ink in some attempt to draw borders against the invasive aspect of everyday life. Anyhow, it works for me to some extent.
3) And it’s freedom. It’s a great feeling to decide to draw a strange, weird, wiggly line without the input of others, the compliance department, or the ways and means committee. And if you like the outcome, you can permit yourself to feel like some powerful creative god, if that’s the kind of thing you are into.
Tell us about your most favorite piece of work that you have done. Why is it meaningful to you?
My favorite piece so far is my “Strange Dollar Signs”. I live in an expensive city (NYC, Manhattan), and find it impossible to view things in non-monetary terms. I see dogs and babies, and I see dollar signs. I think this sort of view is well expressed in Martin Amis’ novel, Money. I didn’t draw this to criticize capitalism, as I think capitalism is natural for most people. (And strangely enough, I think that if I criticize it, the gods of capitalism will know and I’ll be exiled.) But thinking too often about money makes me feel stretched, thinning and stressed.
Strange Dollar Signs, 2015, (archival ink) By Tiffany V. Chin
The Outlyers:
Tell us a deep dark secret.
This is not a ‘dark’ secret in the way of felonies, but I had my first two single-panel cartoons bought by a nude magazine. One shot involved nudes posed in an apartment doorway as a French bulldog looked on. But no, the cartoons themselves were not explicit, risqué, or even slightly naughty, so that deflates that line of inquiry. One was about office culture, and the other was a joke about public transportation.
Tiffany V. Chin in based in New York City.
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