We were lucky to catch up with Lava Wu recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lava, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Art-making is one of the most enjoyable and romantic things. Even the aroma of oil paints brings me a sense of peace, and in those moments, happiness has a purity that has nothing to do with fame or wealth. However, creating art can sometimes trigger feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, and uncertainty about myself and my connection to the world. Questions such as “What am I doing?”, “Who am I working for?”, and “Where am I heading?” plagued me during my first year in the MFA-Fine Arts program. I struggled with bridging the gap between idealism and realism. Instead of solely dreaming and imagining, I needed to know theories, conduct research, and work on my “subject matters” of human development and the environment. Engaging in real-world problem-solving may help alleviate my long-term anxiety about just making art. Therefore, I adjusted my career goal and am now preparing to be a development program analyst and a creative simultaneously. Pursuing artistic practices would be challenging without financial support. There is no shame in keeping up efforts for a creative career while also working on other jobs that are “not creative.”

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 painter, illustrator, and writer who works with topics related to psychology, mythology, human development, and environmental sustainability. Painting and mixed media sculpture are my primary mediums, and I am currently exploring a combination of creative writing and visual journal. Over time, I have developed my “weird humorous” visual language by incorporating bold color palettes, metaphoric symbols, and fun compositions. In the past three years, visual art has been my primary means of communication to raise questions and initiate discussions. Through exhibitions, I have covered issues such as feminism and women’s health, poverty and human rights, consumerism, and environmental protection. I hold a MA degree in Illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art and a BA degree in Economics from Durham University.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are developed based on blockchain and virtual currency, making anything traded as an NFT on the Internet a financial product. NFT art has recently gained popularity, likely due to the marketing hype that has improved its financial attributes. However, I do not believe that NFT art can replace “tangible” art, just as paper media still has a place today. NFT art is primarily a financial product, and its collection value is yet to be fully investigated.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Detective and suspense novels, as well as TV series, are significant sources of inspiration for me. When creating my artwork, I enjoy incorporating “clues” and “foreshadowing” in the form of content, subjects, composition, and metaphors, hoping that the audience can discover my “tricks.” This process is as enjoyable as writing a detective novel that requires the author to design clever “tricks.” The scene design in suspense movies also inspires me in the application of color and materials. I highly recommend Agatha Christie’s Great Detective Pole series and the British drama Inside No.9 series for those who enjoy these genres. Furthermore, psychologist C.G. Jung’s paintings are a fantastic reference for portraying the subconscious, dreams, abstraction, and symbolism.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alkali_lava/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qifan-lava-wu-06a1b7231/

Image Credits
Lava (Qifan) Wu