January 2005
"Transcultural New Jersey: Diverse Artists Shaping Culture and Communities" Interview with artist Maria Lau.
By: Marianne Ficarra
Do you see yourself as part of the mainstream?
In my experience what is considered mainstream is constantly changing and I do see myself as a part of it. For as much as I am Cuban, I was born here and consider myself American first and foremost. I grew up dancing to disco and listening to the Rolling Stones and while Annie Lennox was my idol, so was Celia Cruz, and for me that’s as mainstream as it gets.
How and where does the work fit within the mainstream?
As a contemporary artist, creating documentary within a fine art context I touch on several themes, like cultural and personal identity, spirituality or dreams. I think there are many artists in various cultures that are exploring the same themes and collectively we create a more universal mainstream. Also, here in America the fact that it was built by immigrants and continues to be a culture influenced by the diverse population is another way that my work fits into the mainstream.
What is distinctive about the work?
The work is distinctive because of the fusion of different cultures, the use of symbolism, narrative and personal style to achieve an overall aesthetic. I like working with grain, texture and subtle details in my photography and art. I put my emotion and experiences into it and even a simple piece is likely to have a complicated story behind it. Most of the work I do is created like that so it’s very personal and in that way unique.
I also think that in trying to take this kind of art to the public, adaptability is necessary. It needs to be relevant to the times and technology has provided the tools to push the boundaries of what an artist can utilize for expression. So my experimentation in multimedia, using video, digital collages and sound helps distinguish and create more distinctive and dynamic work.
What ties you to the mainstream aesthetic concerns of modern and/or postmodern art?
In postmodern art, the deconstruction of the formal is something I have always been interested in. Yet I try to achieve a balance in my work of formal documentary and deconstruction, by taking what is considered normal documentary and using different materials and techniques, while preserving the concept and narrative. Also postmodern art is continuing to fuse and create hybrids, which I think is a reflection of our times and an aspect that can be seen in my art as well.
How did you arrive at your ideas?
I think the cliché that you never know when inspiration will hit you, is true for me too. I don’t usually think out my projects methodically, I like to work intuitively for the most part. So usually it’s a lot of trial and error and a good dose of curiosity and perseverance.
I did start the “71” project with the hopes of uniting my family and the idea of a narrative came from my journal on that trip to Cuba. From there I started to gather photos to illustrate that journey and I never imagined that the project would evolve the way it has. From the initial dream of uniting the Cuban and Chinese family, a series of photos, collages, video, installation and soundscapes ensued. It’s become clear to me that whatever I start in this intuitive fashion usually takes on a life of its own.
What is your relationship to other mainstream artists?
I think my work has a relationship to many other artists. For instance, the multimedia collage work of Robert Rauschenberg comes to mind, or Frida Kahlo and how she expressed her life experiences in her artwork. Also right here in New Jersey there is the Neo-Latino movement, which includes a wide range of Latino art styles, ideas, and fusion that can also relate to my art. So though I am not affiliated with a particular movement in art, there are many examples of how my work can relate to other mainstream artists and current movements.
Who influenced your work?
My work originated from a need to document my historical and anthropological studies and therefore initially was more influenced by history teachers than artists, yet one of favorite photographers who does fascinating documentary is Sebastiao Salgado. He astonishes me each time not just by his work and dedication but his message. I also admire Gerhard Richter and his expansive and diverse bodies of work. His use of layering, exquisite details and photography are all elements that I’m interested in. I’m also a great fan of Frida Kahlo and the way she expressed her reality, her thoughts and her pain into art.
Did you have difficulties in having your work exhibited early in your career or particular challenges faced in the creation and/or exhibition of your works? Please explain.
When I first started out I didn’t plan on exhibiting my photographs, I was creating them for myself as a means of personal documentation, preserving my memories the way I wanted to remember them. But my first trip to Cuba was such a powerful and emotional experience for me, that the biggest challenge was taking the work out of my personal realm and into a public setting. Once I did that, I was very surprised at the outcome.
Since that experience I can say that exhibition opportunities for this type of work has been in many ways more difficult to find venues for. Multiculturalism being part of the essence of America is not something that is easily categorized and therefore harder to comprehend and define in a marketable way. And in comparison to more sensationalist art, or different trends that the art world deems noteworthy-multicultural in my experience, has not necessarily been the buzz. I’m looking forward to that changing and turning the challenges of exhibiting this type of art into achievements.
What have critics said about your work?
I can’t speak for all the critics, but I can say that this year the TransCultural show that I participated in at NJCVA had a review in the New York Times that made me raise an eyebrow. The critic wrote that I was presenting haunting photographs, which I found particularly intriguing. A couple of years ago, the New York Times review for the Jersey City museum show described some of my photographs as ghostly. The coincidence was great enough that I started to think that the critics had observed something significant in my work that I myself did not realize, and now I’m the one that’s spooked.
How do you see your work in the context of cultural heritage?
As the world becomes increasingly global, preservation of cultural heritage, I believe, will become more difficult or blurred. And I would like to believe that the work I’ve done on Cuba and my more introspective works involving identity, culture and personal experiences are relevant in the context of cultural heritage now and in the future.
For me these projects are more than a personal reflection of my history and culture. I hope to shed light on the interrelation of Cuban, American and Asian culture through documentation and preservation, while experimenting and questioning reality, identity and modes of self-expression.
January 2005
"Transcultural New Jersey: Diverse Artists Shaping Culture and Communities" Interview with artist Maria Lau.
By: Marianne Ficarra
Do you see yourself as part of the mainstream?
In my experience what is considered mainstream is constantly changing and I do see myself as a part of it. For as much as I am Cuban, I was born here and consider myself American first and foremost. I grew up dancing to disco and listening to the Rolling Stones and while Annie Lennox was my idol, so was Celia Cruz, and for me that’s as mainstream as it gets.
How and where does the work fit within the mainstream?
As a contemporary artist, creating documentary within a fine art context I touch on several themes, like cultural and personal identity, spirituality or dreams. I think there are many artists in various cultures that are exploring the same themes and collectively we create a more universal mainstream. Also, here in America the fact that it was built by immigrants and continues to be a culture influenced by the diverse population is another way that my work fits into the mainstream.
What is distinctive about the work?
The work is distinctive because of the fusion of different cultures, the use of symbolism, narrative and personal style to achieve an overall aesthetic. I like working with grain, texture and subtle details in my photography and art. I put my emotion and experiences into it and even a simple piece is likely to have a complicated story behind it. Most of the work I do is created like that so it’s very personal and in that way unique.
I also think that in trying to take this kind of art to the public, adaptability is necessary. It needs to be relevant to the times and technology has provided the tools to push the boundaries of what an artist can utilize for expression. So my experimentation in multimedia, using video, digital collages and sound helps distinguish and create more distinctive and dynamic work.
What ties you to the mainstream aesthetic concerns of modern and/or postmodern art?
In postmodern art, the deconstruction of the formal is something I have always been interested in. Yet I try to achieve a balance in my work of formal documentary and deconstruction, by taking what is considered normal documentary and using different materials and techniques, while preserving the concept and narrative. Also postmodern art is continuing to fuse and create hybrids, which I think is a reflection of our times and an aspect that can be seen in my art as well.
How did you arrive at your ideas?
I think the cliché that you never know when inspiration will hit you, is true for me too. I don’t usually think out my projects methodically, I like to work intuitively for the most part. So usually it’s a lot of trial and error and a good dose of curiosity and perseverance.
I did start the “71” project with the hopes of uniting my family and the idea of a narrative came from my journal on that trip to Cuba. From there I started to gather photos to illustrate that journey and I never imagined that the project would evolve the way it has. From the initial dream of uniting the Cuban and Chinese family, a series of photos, collages, video, installation and soundscapes ensued. It’s become clear to me that whatever I start in this intuitive fashion usually takes on a life of its own.
What is your relationship to other mainstream artists?
I think my work has a relationship to many other artists. For instance, the multimedia collage work of Robert Rauschenberg comes to mind, or Frida Kahlo and how she expressed her life experiences in her artwork. Also right here in New Jersey there is the Neo-Latino movement, which includes a wide range of Latino art styles, ideas, and fusion that can also relate to my art. So though I am not affiliated with a particular movement in art, there are many examples of how my work can relate to other mainstream artists and current movements.
Who influenced your work?
My work originated from a need to document my historical and anthropological studies and therefore initially was more influenced by history teachers than artists, yet one of favorite photographers who does fascinating documentary is Sebastiao Salgado. He astonishes me each time not just by his work and dedication but his message. I also admire Gerhard Richter and his expansive and diverse bodies of work. His use of layering, exquisite details and photography are all elements that I’m interested in. I’m also a great fan of Frida Kahlo and the way she expressed her reality, her thoughts and her pain into art.
Did you have difficulties in having your work exhibited early in your career or particular challenges faced in the creation and/or exhibition of your works? Please explain.
When I first started out I didn’t plan on exhibiting my photographs, I was creating them for myself as a means of personal documentation, preserving my memories the way I wanted to remember them. But my first trip to Cuba was such a powerful and emotional experience for me, that the biggest challenge was taking the work out of my personal realm and into a public setting. Once I did that, I was very surprised at the outcome.
Since that experience I can say that exhibition opportunities for this type of work has been in many ways more difficult to find venues for. Multiculturalism being part of the essence of America is not something that is easily categorized and therefore harder to comprehend and define in a marketable way. And in comparison to more sensationalist art, or different trends that the art world deems noteworthy-multicultural in my experience, has not necessarily been the buzz. I’m looking forward to that changing and turning the challenges of exhibiting this type of art into achievements.
What have critics said about your work?
I can’t speak for all the critics, but I can say that this year the TransCultural show that I participated in at NJCVA had a review in the New York Times that made me raise an eyebrow. The critic wrote that I was presenting haunting photographs, which I found particularly intriguing. A couple of years ago, the New York Times review for the Jersey City museum show described some of my photographs as ghostly. The coincidence was great enough that I started to think that the critics had observed something significant in my work that I myself did not realize, and now I’m the one that’s spooked.
How do you see your work in the context of cultural heritage?
As the world becomes increasingly global, preservation of cultural heritage, I believe, will become more difficult or blurred. And I would like to believe that the work I’ve done on Cuba and my more introspective works involving identity, culture and personal experiences are relevant in the context of cultural heritage now and in the future.
For me these projects are more than a personal reflection of my history and culture. I hope to shed light on the interrelation of Cuban, American and Asian culture through documentation and preservation, while experimenting and questioning reality, identity and modes of self-expression.