Illustrator-turned-fine artist Janice Sung’s figures seem at home amidst natural settings, whether in a lily pad pond or a garden, floating like a near-translucent milk specter. Her recent gallery showing at Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles, the first using physical media by the artist. While you can definitely see the influence of one of her inspirations Yoshitaka Amano in her work, but Sung wields a subtly, sensitivity to natural elements and illusive mystery in her works that is all her own which seems to that spring from a different place. We asked the artist a few questions about her new body of work and about transitioning from digital to physical media.
In your new work the Abyss, there’s a figure seen floating, mostly submerged, surrounded by koi fish. She seems to have a suspicious expression on her face. Her lips are as bright as an adjacent koi. Can you tell us what she might be thinking? It seems that she has a story to tell…. Should we trust her intentions?
“The Abyss” holds a unique significance for me, she was the third piece of the collection. I envision her as a mystical being dwelling in the depths of the waters, accompanied by her koi companions. I deliberately shroud her intentions in ambiguity, inviting viewers to approach her with caution, mirroring the experience of those who encounter her. Her form is not constrained by human likeness; instead, it can be entirely unconventional.
You utilize large areas of negative space in your paintings. Is composition forefront to your art making process?
Yes, composition plays a pivotal role in my painting process, serving as one of the cornerstones that unites the entire piece.
The figures in your paintings, although mostly unclothed, wear interesting ornate jewelry. Do you design the jewelry yourself? Do they exist? and , i not will they?
I love browsing through magazines and Pinterest as a source of inspiration for the jewelry pieces featured in my paintings. I enjoy combining elements from various ornate pieces to create unique designs that complement the subjects. The idea of developing a jewelry line in the future sounds very exciting.
