Featured Artist: David Heo
as told to Asha Iman Veal for Arts Alliance Illinois (June 2020)
(Lately (Again Tomorrow), 2020, mixed media on painted paper cutouts, collaged on paper, 12 x 9 in. / 30.4 x 22.8 cm)
Like many other visual artists, I’ve always wanted to make a book of some of my works.
I had always put it off though, because before COVID-19 I usually had to manage to happily create new artworks within a reasonable schedule, for many upcoming projects and shows. But because we’ve been at home with what seems like an endless amount of time, I realized ‘Well, well, well, David. Now’s the time.’
For the book, I picked and curated sixteen of my recent works. Half of them were what I made during the stay-at-home self-isolation, and the other half were works that I made pre-quarantine. For me it’s interesting, because that first group of works reads so differently to me now because of this pandemic. Also, my paper cut-out collages are a little larger than letter-size, so I thought that they would translate really smoothly as an 8 by 10 inch book.
The goal hasn’t been to make profit. Instead, I used this book as a vehicle to support my friends and peers here in Chicago. It’s not because I’m philanthropic or rich. I’m broke as heck. But, half of the proceeds went solely towards reimbursement for the production of the book and stickers. The other half I donated to a relief fund for artists.
I value my community. It’s important to me. I don’t want us to disappear because of this pandemic. I hope other people in the arts can take actions to find more ways to support the tribe too.
David Heo
painter, multidisciplinary artist
(artist David Heo, at his home studio in Wicker Park Chicago, 2019)
Stephanie Nicole Koch (Annas, Chicago) wrote an amazing description about my artistic practice in this year’s Newcity Breakout Artists 2020. The article gives a good introduction to who I am as a painter, and more.
As an artist, I’ve always been fascinated by mythology, folklore, and legends. Aside from the visceral imagery or fantasia of it all, the takeaways from any old mythos can always be re-applied to a contemporary moment.
Throughout time, every culture has always been interested in narratives or metaphorical tales. It’s cool. People fundamentally haven’t changed their inclination to immortalize a feeling through a story.
(Overwhelm, 2020, mixed media on painted paper cutouts collaged on paper, 12 x 9 in. / 30.4 x 22.8 cm)
Something I think about, is how artists can be multifaceted in evolving their practice to fit their artistic integrity and concepts—but to simultaneously be able to address the practical demands of life. There’s this myth that still circulates and says, ‘In order to be a real artist, you must be struggling.’ That’s so messed up.
Why should artists have to be emotionally exhausted and mentally drained to create great work? Through our work we’re conduits of empathy, but we’re also people who need to actually live.
You know what’s amazing? To be able to create something while feeling happy, energized, and optimistic about the future. That’s amazing.
(Stay. Stay in Place, 2020, mixed media on painted paper cutouts collaged on paper, 12 x 9 in. / 30.4 x 22.8 cm)
Many people believe that art and culture are the furthest things away from capitalism. Truthfully, they’re not. Artists need money to survive. Galleries need money to support their artists and space. Art schools need money to operate. Museums need money to even exist.
I hope we can attempt to restructure the dynamics of a sustainable art ecosystem. 501(c)(3) nonprofits and commercial galleries are still struggling, fast, due to the COVID-19 crisis. The wider, supportive arts community can’t be neutral or disengaged to the financial hardships happening now.
This has been so surprising to see unfold because it shows how institutions aren’t impervious.
There are no magical titans and these spaces rely on support and money. I think it’s been good for everyone to witness because it pulls the curtain away.
(Do You See Now, 2020, crayon, colored pencil, graphite powder, acrylic gouache, and painted paper cutouts 12 x 9 in. / 30.4 x 22.8 cm)
Whenever I experience or witness something resonant, I want to depict it. For me, I feel like the human experience really is relatable. People may experience the overarching gauntlets of life differently, but the themes are the same for all of us. Themes like victory, impulse, heartbreak, anxiety, desire, lust, love, melancholy, happiness, fear, and more.
Whenever I people watch, I like to take a step back and remember that we’ve all lived through each of those experiences—but through our own individual points of view. Literally.
Understandably, we all think we’re the main hero in our stories.
(Spectacle, 2020, mixed media on painted paper cutouts collaged on paper, 12 x 9 in. / 30.4 x 22.8 cm)
As an Asian American, racism is weird. Growing up in Georgia, I remember all the microaggressions. Like once in high school, I remember I was walking down the hallway to go to my locker and the ROTC teacher walked up to me and said, ‘Do you know who you look like??? That Asian guy from Harold & Kumar!’ Then he walked away, cackling about it.
My parents never instilled race with degradation to my brother and I when we were growing up. The culture of the South taught us about different races and how some people believe and associate others with stereotypes. But my brother and I lived our lives never expecting those things to actually be the truth. Even when we were young, we both understood that race is something outside of our control, people are straight up born that way. So why are some people assholes about it?
(Suffering, 2020, mixed media on painted paper cutouts collaged on paper, 12 x 9 in. / 30.4 x 22.8 cm)
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