Richmond BC, Canada #richmondartgallerybc
Bringing together paintings and mixed-media works by teenage artist Fiona Huang, Free in the Chaos celebrates experimentation, play, and the freedom to follow intuition in art making. Inspired by graffiti, street art, and popular culture, Huang uses bold colours and gestural brushwork to layer imagery and text across canvas and found materials, building a fantastical world of her own.
Influenced by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988), Huang’s visual language moves between figuration and abstraction, image and text. Familiar characters from comics, cartoons, and games are reimagined alongside invented monsters, with words and phrases that inspire her incorporated throughout the energetic compositions.
Intuition and spontaneity are central to Huang’s process. To overcome her initial “fear” of the blank canvas and its seemingly endless possibilities, she often begins by covering it with a solid colour—usually a darker shade—before adding layers of brighter and neon-coloured forms. As she responds to the figures and elements emerging on the canvas, adjusting and altering them along the way, the work gradually takes shape. Embracing what she describes as “the weird, the playful, and even the ‘naive,’” Huang approaches art making as a space to break rules while exploring themes of social expectations, consumer culture, and individuality.
— Rebecca Wang 王晨釔
Biography
Fiona Huang is a 14-year-old Chinese-Canadian artist who takes art classes at BC Creative Center, a Richmond-based creative education studio that mentored her in the development of this body of work. Outside of visual art, Huang enjoys comic books and hip-hop music, both of which are important sources of inspirations for her work.
Opening Reception
Join artist Fiona Huang and her mentors Shawn He and Wayne Ke to celebrate the opening of Huang’s exhibition Free in the Chaos at The Annex Gallery on Saturday, October 3, 2 – 4 PM. Light snacks and beverages will be provided.
The Annex Gallery is located in Richmond Cultural Centre Annex, 7660 Minoru Gate, Richmond, BC V6Y 1R8
Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 9 pm; Saturday & Sunday: 10 am – 5 pm
