We recently connected with Mary Song and have shared our conversation below.

Mary , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My disciplines of focus are fashion, photography, and graphic design. Throughout my creative journey, I was interested in the intersection point of these mediums, which led me to the idea of creating my own editorial fashion magazine for my senior thesis: “MEND”. I directed and shot this magazine and collaborated with graphic designer, Stella Kim, to create this publication highlighting twelve different individuals. I’ve always been fascinated by an individual’s unique sense of style. A piece of fabric we put onto our bodies can represent so much– who we are, what we value, or what we aspire to be. Fashion can shape our viewpoint of life itself. MEND Magazine explored this philosophy with the question “What is your favorite garment and why?” Inspired by everyday conversations and my desire to uplift diverse communities, the interview process was just as crucial as the documentation (if not even more). MEND is more than a fashion publication: it’s a glimpse into the windows of personal stories that transcend the fibers and elements on the body.
This project was special to me because it led me to realize what I prioritize in a creative future for myself: collaboration, the process, and open-mindedness. I not only consider myself multidisciplinary but also a multifaceted individual. I view my work from a 360 perspective, and I enjoy viewing my projects through different aspects and angles. As I mentioned, the process is just as important, if not more, than my final outcome. Each step deserves deep care because every step inspires one another. The process of exploring, the conversations, the moodboards, the photoshoots, the styling, the editing, the post-production, the marketing- all play a role in bringing the pieces of a puzzle together. My goal with all the work I produce is to uplift those around me and act as a translator for the minority experience in an aesthetic visual form.

Mary , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Mary Song and I’m a Korean-American interdisciplinary artist from Raleigh, North Carolina. I attended the visual arts program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and I graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) with a B.F.A. in Fibers and double minor in Graphic Design and Photography.

I initially went into college as a sculpture major because I thought at that point that fine arts was the avenue I wanted to pursue. However, during COVID, I didn’t have the same access to my school’s studios while taking classes online. During this time, I branched into different mediums to keep my creativity alive. I leaned heavily into digital forms of creation such as graphic design, photography, and video. Through this, I discovered my passion for content creation and built a platform focused on thrifted fashion and art. Some of my past leadership roles included working as the Lead Graphic Designer / Photographer for Miami Swim Week and Art Direction Intern for COACH. In college, I was able to take my passion for collaboration into leading as the Fashion Director for MICA’s 28th annual benefit fashion show “Amplify”.

Although fine arts was the path I started out on, the experiences I’ve had since the start of college have led to me to pursue my passions of art direction. Currently, I am working in photography production for COACH in New York City. I saved up for my first COACH wallet when I was 12, and now I am working for the brand at 22. It is such a full circle moment, and I could not be more grateful of the people who have supported me along the way. I share alot of snippets of my life on social media, and hope to inspire other woman of color wanting to occupy space in the fashion industry. Throughout all the media I dabble in : textile, photography, design, and production – my goal is to uplift diversity and provide a platform for others.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I am a firm believer that people are placed into your life for a reason. I’ve been blessed enough to have wonderful family, friends, and teachers who fully supported my dreams of pursuing the arts. I care so deeply about the relationships in my life. I wouldn’t be here today without the people who have supported my passions and encouraged me to move forward. Whenever I fell down, it was my faith the people Christ put into my life who helped me get back onto my feet.

As a Christian, I believe that God gives us talents so we can do for others what he wants to do through us. I consider myself an empath, someone who strives to use her creativity to help others feel seen. If a painting, or sculpture, or garment, or photograph, or design I make can make another feel understood- I have fulfilled my purpose as a creative.

I value staying true to my beliefs. No matter where I am or what I am doing, I strive to have a humble heart in whatever I do. I hope through the work I make I can inspire other Asian American women or minorities in the creative industry.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I wouldn’t say there was one point in my life where I had to pivot, more like, when did I NOT pivot.

I’ve had many doubts throughout my career because I was interested in various mediums. My main struggle throughout college was feeling like I lacked focus, as I was balancing three different degrees (fiber, photo, graphic design). I had my hands in so many different mediums, yet didn’t feel like I was proficient enough to know the medium to its fullest potential. I felt like I was a jack of all trades and master of none.

While I knew that college is a time and place for discovery, I still felt this pressure to have everything figured out because of how specialties in an institution are prioritized. I love to welcome curiosity, and at a young age, I was taught to embrace that. However, the balance of that curiosity was something I struggled with because I felt I lacked specificity. I wasn’t sure how to “label” myself.

However, by finding good people in my academic institution who encourage diversity rather than shy away from it, I was able to discover how this multidisciplinary skill set can be utilized within the creative field. Through meeting a variety of different majors, I found joy in collaboration and blurring the lines across these different mediums. As I continued on in my creative journey, I began to view my understanding of different disciplines as a strength. I consider myself like a malleable clay, able to form into many different molds and fulfill many different creative needs.

I view curiosity as that “pull” throughout my life. If the pull towards something is so great, then the resistance is going to be even harder to overcome. As artists, we should move towards that pull, and embrace that curiosity head-on. We will always be trying to find that balance in the push and pull, but that process is what makes the life of a creative so impactful.

My life will always be a series of pivots. I believe that is what shows I am continually challenging myself to grow, to fail, to succeed, and ultimately to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: bymarysong.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bymarysong/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-song-82b661210/
• Other: Personal Instagram : @maryysong Photography Instagram : @shotsbysong

Image Credits
@gracestills – photographer for image of artist (Grace Li) @shotsbysong – photographer for personal work (Mary Song)