We were lucky to catch up with Xiran Luo recently and have shared our conversation below.
Xiran, 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?
So far I’m happier as an artist. But being an artist, especially a freelancer, is a job that is destined to be surrounded by anxiety. I’ve been browsing job-hunting websites a lot lately because I’m often stuck in a free period without any job. I don’t think a stable job and being an artist are contradictory in a way. If a stable job and my artwork are mutually beneficial, I think it will bring stable financial and mental support to the career of an artist. But likewise, work may exploit one’s energy and time, and without enormous conviction of one’s artistic goal, one can easily lose the passion for creation. Recently I am preparing to be interviewed for an artist’s assistant internship because I feel that hopefully, the job will not take up too much of my time, and I will be able to be exposed to the creative environment of an established painter and learn the skills of how to deal with galleries, art critics and auction institutions. At the moment, I am still looking for a job with a “student’s mindset”. I don’t want to give up my creative subjectivity in order to survive, so I don’t want to look for a particularly stable job that is not strongly related to my art practice, such as motion design and UIUX designer.
Xiran, 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?
Born and raised in China, I studied drawing in college and was interested in picture books and illustration, so I applied to the Maryland Institute College of Art Illustration Practice MFA program. After graduate school, I am currently living in New York, Brooklyn. I published my pop-up picture book in early 2022, and have been illustrating editorial illustrations for 3 years for magazines, newspapers, and websites. But recently I focus more on film poster design and painting. Watercolor and acrylic are my current painting mediums, and next year I want to explore oil painting. About my poster design, please view this article:https://neocha.com/magazine/show-dont-tell/
I am interested in the subject of skin, not only because my own skin has suffered from acne for a long time, but because I think the tension on the surface is very indicative of mood and narrative suspense.
For my graduation project on the subject of skin disease, I developed my discussion of the stigmatization of skin disease and appearance anxiety. I interviewed 20 patients and used the stories I collected to draw a collection of short comics called Superficial Conversation. After posting it on social media, I received many messages from viewers and I hope to have the opportunity to do this project on an ongoing basis. You can view the graphic novel here:https://lobodluo.com/superficial-conversation
And also the background stories and whole process here: https://lobodluo.com/superficial-monologue
In terms of drawing, I am better at using objects as a metaphor for human relationships. Tension is still a theme that I am passionate about showing. Muted color palettes and film textures are part of my identified visual styles. Recently I had my first solo show in Boston, an unconventional art space called The Sipping Room. You can read the press release to get a better understanding of my practice: https://lobodluo.com/solo-show-skin-to-skin
Besides my artwork, I am a life-drawing nude model for a studio in Manhattan Chinatown. I have been modeling part-time since I was a student at MICA, and have been doing so for about a year now. This job has allowed me to “objectify” myself in a new way, and it has also been a training for my body and has even made me curious about improvising physical performances. Recently I have been watching Kimon Nicolaides’ The Natural Way to Draw, and its inspiration for drawing beginners also resonates with me. Being a painter and also a model, I am learning how to present my body to facilitate drawers and how to re-observe the body itself.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I go to open studio visitings after I moved to NYC. I’ve never done that before when I was in Beijing and Baltimore. Viewing and talking to artists about their works or WIP projects in their familiar space is such an approaching way for me to know the industry.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I communicate with the world in my preferred way. That’s a priority. Also, helping spread the idea I admire through creative approaches really facilitates educational practice.
To be honest, I think artists and creatives are just jobs, maybe one day I can’t tell the meaning of my work I’ll quit. Before that day, I’ll utilize my talent to create something maybe not visually pleasing but interesting, better be meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lobodluo.com/
- Instagram: @l_o_boood
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/xiran-luo-b17415141