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

Keyu, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I was an illustration student at Kingston School of Art. My journey began with an academic foundation where I spent quality time in theoretical study and artist lectures. There were a lot of critical questions to help me discover my interests and experiments. I also spent lots of time experimenting with various methods to expand the boundaries of contemporary art. I would say that research skills, critical thinking, and self-reflection are most essential. When it happens to a project, it is a good start to research relevant topics, books, studies, and artists to inspire in many aspects. When it happens to narrow down and find out the concept, it is helpful to have a critical conversation with myself to discover what I want to deliver the value of or to be seen. These processes could be a loop through the whole project. Sometimes, it is surprising to point out one thing, which could become the interests, methodologies, and artistic styles.

The obstacle I had was being stuck in the making process. When I think too much, I find writing is more expressive of what I want to transmit. Then I will do some quick drawings to generate some visual ideas, which will make some progress absurdly during the project. Experimenting freely without pressure helps me discover new explorations.

Keyu, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I used to find finishing a fine drawing very pressured. I attended a workshop focusing on quick drawings then I started my discipline there. Exploring experimental art and abstraction gives me autonomy and it allows me to transmit my concepts and emotions through the process to a visual outcome. It also let me push my boundaries in my practices to discover new media and new expressions.

My practice is process-oriented. I am fascinated by artistic research and approaching art as a means to develop concepts in the cultural landscape. My artwork combines traditional techniques in relation to contemporary discourse, broadly encompassing printing-making sculptures, drawings, artistic books, photography, and video-making.

What I believe sets me apart is authorship. The artwork itself questions the socio-political narrativity as documentation existing in contemporary society. It is valuable to share an artist’s critical thoughts in discourse as a means of art.

I am especially proud that my artwork potentially becomes a vehicle to stand for communications in marginalized groups, offering a shared space where voices that are often silenced can find expression.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

As an international background artist living in London, there are fewer opportunities to get exposed. Increasing funding for international artists will be helpful. Art councils and Art institutions can offer more accessible funding opportunities and grants for artists and creatives. The financial support can be enormously helpful for artists in approaching artworks and growing within the creative community.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

My artwork is inclined to be conceptual. Sometimes it has too many metaphorical meanings in one piece of artwork. It is hard to be descriptive in visually appealing to tell the concepts, emotions, and context. Making art involves self-criticism, mental complexities, and vulnerability. The pressure to be understood or exposed to external expectations could be challenging. I would say it is a rewarding feeling and experience to see myself achieve some point in my work, develop my understanding, and try to make something meaningful and connect in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anechofromnowhere.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anechofromnowhere/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keyu-hao-9a3097299/

Image Credits

Title: An Echo From noWhere

2023, Sculpture, Size: 170x75x75 cm, Material: Metal, Stitched fabric, Plaster