WeMerge Magazine
Issue 3, WM20, Volume 7 | 2014
Jessica Gwen
Concept and Video Artist Claims Human Condition as
Subject of Interest!
The in you face concept artist Jessica Gwen wants
you to know who she is and what she stands for. Born in Hong Kong, schooled in
England at a boarding academy, she refers to as “Hogwarts”, Jessica is
defiantly getting much attention in her new home here in America.
Jessica Gwen’s recent installation; a
‘Franken-cow’ titled “Molly” raised brows and breakfast. The silicon sculpture,
a hairy carcass of production milk cow of our near future, astonished even the
anti-GMO crowd that flocked to see her work at a recent viewing at
ActivistArtistA Gallery.
“For some artists, art is a very personal thing,
it’s a virtuoso expression of feelings.” Says Ms. Gwen. For Gwen having lived
three in cultures, three continents, and being an outsider trained in
architecture. She claims to take on the role of an observer with certain
rational composure.
“There is always a level of objectivity in my art which is by and large in its conceptualization that is subsequently manifested by an array of medium, be it architectural, video, computer graphics, fashion, sculpture.”
“There is always a level of objectivity in my art which is by and large in its conceptualization that is subsequently manifested by an array of medium, be it architectural, video, computer graphics, fashion, sculpture.”
A graduate of The Mackintosh School of
Architecture in Glasgow, her work is interactive with its viewers in ways that
it is always thought provocative and embedded with meanings. Whether it is a
social/political critique or a benign riddle, the concepts of her work linger
in the minds of the viewer.
Gwen states, “I think art should get under our
skin, move us to tears, scare us to death, make us high. Such is the
distinction between art and decoration.”
After 10 years of living in Europe, she once again
estranged in her home town due to the lack of a progressive art scene and the
hectic chicken cage Hong Kong lifestyle she move to America.
As an artist, an observer, She feels that what she
has to offer to this country is “art with a philosophical disentanglement of
the social/political stalemate” and she’s living up to the challenge. “I’m
fascinated with the human condition!” She says with a grin.
Other Stories in this issue:
Explosive and Magical: Ruben Ubiera
