Lives and works in Ridgewood, New York
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Throughout my work, I use characters that reference specific personal artifacts and other recurring motifs to weave a visual language that is my own. Painting and drawing allows me to obscure and layer images to set up an environment that is constantly in flux. I imagine my work at its best is similar to being in a crowded room, hearing snippets of conversations, all while interpreting and misinterpreting phrases to create a union between potentially unrelated thoughts. These thoughts are then morphed into a cartoon-ish fiction of personal folklore that suggests a world beyond the frame.
"intimidation at the dinner Table leads nowhere good" 2019. Acrylic on canvas. 36w x 36h" in.
"i am Perhaps In a constant state of ambiguity but ONLY Sometimes" 2019. Acrylic and Flashe on canvas. 24w x 32h" in.
"how backscratchers are an Unavoidable part of life but they're useful so just Embrace them probably" 2018. Acrylic on canvas. 36w x 40h" in.
"the misguided belief that Things Can change" 2019. Acrylic and Flashe on canvas. 12w x 12h" in.
"An Entire Day's worth of worrying about the impending Fates of Our Nonexistent problems" 2018. Acrylic and Flashe on canvas. 40w x 30h" in.
"when You're Not Convinced You should exist" 2019. Acrylic on canvas. 16w x 20h" in.
“t.v. Sees me, Everything comes full circle” 2019. Acrylic and Flashe on canvas. 22w x 28h” in.
"you're gonna sit here and Finish Eating all of your food (or ELSE)” 2019. Acrylic on canvas. 16w x 20h" in.
"When You get Kicked in the face by your Own Yellow" 2018. Acrylic and Flashe on canvas. 30w x 32h" in.
"Don't blame Bananas for your own recklessness" 2018. Acrylic on canvas. 24w x 30h" in.
About the Artist
Ray Hwang is an artist from Los Angeles currently living and working in New York City. He received his BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts (2016) and has been in exhibitions throughout New York since then. Using a combination of comedy, cartoon imagery and personal artifacts, he creates work that often confronts his relationship with his cultural upbringing as an Asian American. These artifacts, objects or symbols that hold significance in his personal history, are used to weave his own narratives that reference how humor and violence have frequently intersected throughout his life.
rayhwangart.com