Written by Lauren Bryant
Introducing Katty Han, an Indonesian-born, Tasmania-raised visible artist whose work discover her twin identification and “existence between two worlds”. Katty talks reimagining Indonesian tradition by way of a contemporary lens, and making house for POC artists within the rising Meanjin artwork scene.
Are you able to inform us about your background and the way this ties into your creativity?
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One thing I’ve been reflecting on just lately is my relationship to religion and the non secular imagery that makes it approach, consciously or unconsciously, into my work. I grew up with a Catholic Father and Muslim Mom, so if I wished to come back to church on Sunday, I did, and if I wished to strive fasting throughout Ramadan, I gave it a go. I believe this real curiosity I’ve surrounding faith is a big a part of who I’m and what I create. I additionally suppose being bi-racial and present within the house between two worlds has allowed me to have a singular and numerous outlook on lots of facets of my life.
How do you suppose present between these two worlds exhibits up in your work?
Rising up in Tasmania, the shortage of cultural range made me wish to assimilate to Western tradition and ‘slot in’. I felt my variations had been one thing to be ashamed of quite than one thing to have a good time and share.
This exhibits up in my artwork by way of the usage of conventional Indonesian symbols and imagery reinterpreted in a contemporary context. It’s just like the previous and the brand new are woven collectively in a single massive tapestry.
So, it’s a reimagining?
Positively. It’s fascinating taking these concepts and ideas from my tradition, that I’ve learnt from my Mom, skilled on a go to to Indonesia as a baby, and even simply examine and interpreted by way of the lens of a 20 one thing yr previous rising up in Australia. Nothing about it’s conventional anymore as a result of I’ve discovered a technique to make it anecdotal, making use of sure symbols or motifs to my very own private story.
How do you see that referring to these of your work that discover themes of femininity, sisterhood, and wonder, like The Divine Female or Funeral For a Lorikeet?
I usually wonder if or not I’m doing the correct factor by utilizing these (typically) very sacred symbols in such cheeky methods. It’s like strolling the road between respecting custom however wanting to specific my views as a contemporary, sexually-liberated girl.
I by no means match into the class of what was sometimes ‘lovely’ after I was rising up—blonde, blue eyed, honest pores and skin. Utilizing Indonesian imagery to create these attractive, legendary, goddess-like creatures is what makes me really feel highly effective. It’s a kind of magnificence that runs a lot deeper than bodily attributes. I describe it as a reconnecting to ancestral energy and feminine magik.
You additionally appear to have discovered your house within the Meanjin artwork scene. What’s being a part of the neighborhood like?
Group comes naturally in Meanjin to be trustworthy! One thing the neighborhood does very properly is collaboration. It’s so necessary for POC artists to platform different POC artists, incorporating as many disciplines as doable to showcase all of the expertise that exists.
On a private stage, I connect with neighborhood by being trustworthy in what I create. The didactics subsequent to my items are uncooked and written from the guts. Individuals can’t join with what you create when you aren’t placing each a part of your soul into it—the gorgeous and the ugly.
Uncover extra from our Arts & Tradition part right here.
