Luo Wang

Luo Wang was born in Nanjing, China. She is an interdisciplinary artist and art educator who currently lives and works in Illinois. Raised in Nanjing, a city associated with long and profound history, she has been always interested in the historical events and cultural dynamic. Influenced by her experience as a photojournalist in China, and then moved to the United States, she is interested in unveiling the tensions between different cultures, the feelings of displacement, and the stories of bygone times. Her artistic practice explores culture differences, socio-political surroundings, and the access of images. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally including: Aperture Summer Open, New York; Open Center for the Arts, Tlaquepaque, Mexico; Sullivan Galleries, Chicago, ect. Luo is currently a Master of Art candidate of Art Education at The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

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Penetrate

Penetrate is a compilation of found photographs in addition to my own works that seeks to explore the relationship between historic moments and present life. Interned in the Imaging Department at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2014 provided me with access to a large number of abandoned archival images in an institutional environment. I am also obsessed with the vintage slides from amateur photographers. I realized the subtle connections between those slides and the photos that I take everyday. More specifically, I found the connections and differences between the analog photography and the digitized contemporary era. I try to raise the questions such as what is the nature of photography? What is the difference between professional and amateur photography? And who have the copyright of these slides if the photographers are unknown?

Through selecting, sequencing, and editing my works and my collection of found images, I explore the stories behind found images, reveal the evolution of photography itself, as well as question the issue of copyright.

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To view more of Lou’s work please visit her website.