Nathan Wong

Overview

Nathan Wong is known for his colorful paintings incorporating geometric patterns and imagery inspired by the scalability of paper folds. Drawing inspiration from color combinations found in fashion and nature and merging them with hard-edged linear shapes, the artist encourages the viewer to playfully challenge their perceptions of depth and balance.

His latest body of work is an homage to childhood. Creating and building have always been an integral part of entertainment and escape for him. Experiencing the Covid Pandemic has allowed Wong to reflect on the simpler times of his adolescence, where he would spend hours taking apart found objects, putting them back together, and creating something entirely new. This learned sense of creation transitioned to paper and all of its possibilities through a simple fold. Through play and exploration, this passion would later guide him to creating alternate worlds with the same childlike enthusiasm and focus.

Wong's work is a simple expression of emotion through craft and an obsession with color, shape, and harmony. The journey of creating each work is represented by the overlapping and integrated shapes giving rise to organic and architectural forms, that tie in the canvas and foreground. A precise map of integrated shapes that move the eye to find meaning and balance.

From the artist: "As is the case for most children of color, I distinctly recall the moment, I experienced racism and the consequential loss of innocence. As an Asian American child growing up in rural Northern California, racial diversity was non-existent. I have distinct memories of being mocked by neighborhood kids, forcing my siblings and I to lean into each other for friendship and support. Without the influence of social media, I was encouraged to explore through imagination. The vast countryside was my playground, mother nature was my teacher, and in turn I created my own world, free of judgement. This played a large role in my development as an artist.

As you read this, wildfires are threatening the very backyard I played in. The new normal of environmental devastation, paralleled racial and social upheaval, global pandemic, and lack of leadership in the White House, leaves me weary of the future we are extending to the next generation. This is a critical moment for our planet and humanity. A new narrative of consciousness must be created reflecting the enthusiasm and innocence we all once possessed as children."

Works