Artist Statement
Through the exploration of psychological elements within folkloric narratives and archetypes, Laura seeks to discover meaning in the complex and ambiguous relationship between the self and the Other. The academic observation and reinterpretation of these relationships means having to reconcile oppositional materials in Laura’s research, and then evoking the feelings of unsettlement and inner conflict in her art. While humans are comfortable to separate their personal reality from that which threatens them, no one is a spectator of humanity, and no one is absolved of it. Laura believes that personal evolution and emotional unrest are the truest aspects of humanity, however terrifying and ecstatic, and that the obscurity of the psyche remains the most fascinating subject. For this reason, along with a morbid curiosity for the esoteric, Laura is intent on investigating the liminal space that exists between the (false) dichotomies between good and evil, predator and prey, and beauty and the grotesque.
Artist Bio
Laura Thipphawong is a Canadian artist, writer, and historian, and has exhibited art and presented her research in several galleries and international academic forums. Laura made her way from small-town northern Ontario to Toronto to pursue a career in the arts, and now holds a medal and degree in visual and critical studies from OCAD University, and a master’s in art history from the University of Toronto. Her studio practice is representative of her research on the complex symbolism of the psyche in response to various social factors, with focus on sexuality, horror, folklore, and natural science.
