We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Zou a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Emily thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As an artist, my most meaningful project is my ongoing sculpture series titled “Dark Matter” where the themes of mental health and climate awareness intersect.

My art practice is deeply rooted in my lifelong struggle with mental health where I use the artmaking process to navigate dark and difficult emotions. 2020 marked a new beginning. Quarantining in my apartment was like an artist residency and I made art daily to cope with the global existentialism. Some months in and I realized that my apartment had become a pigsty. There was so much stuff… maybe a result of my suburban consumer upbringing and tendency to hoard. I think some artists can relate. We cannot help but see the potential in objects and so-called trash.

To declutter my apartment, rather than toss the mess, I played with the mess. I used string to tie items together and this physical act of tying became an obsessive outlet for my anxiety. These works are like capsules for the chaotic emotional energy felt during their creation. A metaphor for transformation, change, and healing, trash is upcycled and takes on a new life. After four years, this experiment has grown into a series of over twenty artworks made of found objects and acrylic paint.

I have been privileged to exhibit these artworks at Nuit Blanche, the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Latcham Art Centre, Northern Contemporary Gallery, The Jackalope Contemporary Art Gallery, Propeller Art Gallery, and OCAD University. This series opened doors not just in my career but to conversations with people about their stories and experiences with mental health. I want to inspire people to see their darkness as a source of strength and challenge what we define as “trash.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a queer Canadian-born Chinese multimedia artist who specializes in drawing, painting, and sculpture. From childhood to my early twenties, I struggled with anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Outside of school, my time would be filled with artmaking and crafting because that was when I felt safest and most like myself. I received my BFA in Drawing & Painting at OCAD University, and while there, I had the immense privilege to study abroad in Scotland. It might sound like a cliche, but that time in Scotland changed my life for the better. Being clinically depressed at the time, I decided to journey across the pond because I felt like I had nothing to lose and thus explored facets of myself I never knew I had, but mostly, it planted seeds of confidence.

In Scotland, I explored my mental health and new environment by creating a diaristic series of illustrations. This carried over into my final year at OCAD and into the COVID-19 pandemic. That year of quarantine was pivotal to my art practice. My illustrations matured and I began to explore the world of sculpture through found objects. Climate anxiety continues to fuel my desire to repurpose discarded materials and I have sort of become a donation centre for my friends to get rid of unwanted items. A makeup artist donated a massive bag of piano parts to me. The shapes, forms, and materiality of these objects excite me as I ponder their possibilities.

Although my work explores mental health and climate awareness, I want readers to know that I am an imperfect activist. I want readers to know that it is okay to be an imperfect activist. I still like to eat my instant ramen which is unfortunately packaged in plastic. For me, creating these sculptures is a constant reminder to practice conscious consumerism.

I continue to exhibit my work throughout Toronto and the GTA. At the moment, I am an art therapy graduate student at the Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy. Whether or not God, the universe, or creative forces want me to become a registered art therapist one day, learning about the theory behind the therapeutic benefits and healing power of art have greatly enriched my vocabulary and understanding of my art practice. For many artists including myself, it is a thrilling experience to witness others experiencing and relating to the art we create. I want to take that a step further and empower people to connect with their inner artist and experience that healing potential. I strongly believe that the universe is inherently creative, and we, being extensions of the universe, all have creative energy.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I am in the process of unlearning shame. Growing up, many individuals shamed me for crying and for being “too sensitive and emotional.” I was told that I needed to grow up because “big girls don’t cry.” If I was feeling depressed I was simply told to pray to God. As a deeply sensitive person, I carried self-hatred, shame, and wondered why I was so “weak.” Low self-esteem would lead to self-sabotaging, selfish behaviors, and pervasive loneliness from struggling to foster long-lasting and meaningful friendships.

At OCAD University, for the first time I was surrounded by people like me. Creatives who were sensitive, neurodivergent, or part of the LGBTQ2IA+ community. They held space for my mental health without judgement. This healing journey continued during my studies in Scotland and the years after. Sensitivity is an artist’s superpower.

I am still unlearning shame, but it is true that your mindset, and a confident one at that, can open doors in your career. I think it is important to balance self-advocating with a healthy dose of humility and empathy. Most importantly, a supportive community who believes in you and you in them. Collaboration rather than competition may be the key to an artist’s success, however success may be defined.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I get to meet the coolest, most inspiring people ever. They are simultaneously artists, curators, activists, philosophers, thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, teachers, lovers, or adventurers. They challenge the status quo, challenge me to reevaluate how I am living my life, and push me to explore new possibilities and ways of thinking. My goal is to not lie on my deathbed one day thinking that I lived a boring life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.linktr.ee/emilyzouART
• Instagram: emilyzouart

Image Credits

Image 1: Photo by Karen Lam/Neon Fun Club

Image 2 – 8: Photo Credit of the artist

Image 9: Photo by Leo Zou