
Overnight
Mixed media installation with artist’s book, bedsheets, thread, acrylic paint, and letter foil
12′ x 12′ x 12′ (installation)
2019-2020






Growing up as a gay boy, the bed has become a safe place to be away from the outside and immerse me in fantasies. It is a utopia and comfort zone for hiding and avoiding the attention of hatred; seeking and imagining the demands that are not allowed by society.
The bedsheet has become the second skin, the closest layer to the body. Besides the psychological moments, the sheet also carries fragments of skin, hair, and body fluid, the physical evidence of the identity. It becomes a page that records time, thoughts, and dreams; demounting the protection, decompressing the tensions, and immersing into consciousness. The idea of using bedsheets is inspired by the private experiences of avoiding reality. The sheets were washed, dried, and slept on, and the marks and histories were left on originally. I kept the sheets in faded red, a pinkish tone instead of bright red because of how society has been trying to erase the existence of the LGBTQ+ identity, and it is similar to the color often reflected in gender stereotypes. On top of the sheets, I used different techniques such as sewing, painting, letter stamping, etc. The different colors of the threads relate to the other bodies of work, and they present different relations or identity roles based on the colors. Thoughts of love, family, and the ideal. A transformation from a thread to a rabbit was stitched with three colors, the lighter to darker shades forming the rabbit show the stronger emotion. The moon appears in different sheets in different ways; the golden threaded moon is the dream weaved by the dreamer, the red moon was painted by watercolor which implies the moon in the water is uncatchable, and the golden moon with letter presents the faraway hope. Keeping the silhouette to hide the representation and provide mystery and intimacy. It reduces the distance between the audience and the art to create a closer connection. The crossing of rabbits and figures is merging which builds up the relationship mentally, and the narrative is discovered by the illustrated images.
People’s life experiences can be damaged by ignorance and misconception. As a person who has faced those challenges, I want to express that hope exists. It is a goal we set for ourselves, and a destination that we are working towards. Believing in the self is the power to continue living in the world and reduce harm from the outside. Through making Overnight, I intend to deliver a message of the importance of having hopes and believing in the self.