Olivia Wilson in Conversation with Artist, Salome Wu

Salome Wu, in her studio.

Working with AucArt and Guts Gallery, Salome Wu has had a very exciting year, finding the solitude of national lockdowns conducive to periods of great artistic inspiration. Salome’s work is dream-like, devoid of contemporary models of identification and untethered to the physical world. Across different mediums including oil painting, watercolour, videography, writing and music, Salome weaves together seemingly disparate moments to unveil concealed narratives. Having lived in Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing and now based in London, Salome sees herself as a citizen of the world, finding freedom in also avoiding markers of identification such as “Chinese artist” or “Contemporary artist.”

Olivia Wilson: 2020 has been a bizarre year for many. With the UK just emerging from a second lockdown, how do you find ways to cope creatively?

Salome Wu: It is an interesting time for me personally, as I actually really enjoy some solitary time. I have been extremely focused, and making things has become a way to help me feel calm. Before lockdown, I had more time to go out, meet friends. But now, I have solitary time that helps me to reflect and develop my practice as well. In the past month I have been going to Peckham to print to prepare for my Guts solo show, making 5 exclusive pieces of silk-printing. So, in the past month I have been so focused; printing and making in the studio and I didn’t feel difficulty creating. It has also been progressive for me, spending a lot of time with my own thoughts.

OW: Do you have any work routines or rituals?

SW: I usually like to read a little bit of my own writing to get new ideas for paintings. I write these narratives and all the paintings are based on narratives I have written over the years. In my artist statement, I say that this narrative is formed from my observations of time and its fragility. It is like a story, an ever-evolving narrative that I edit often. Then sometimes, I will make a drawing, and something new will appear in that drawing and I will then write about it.

OW: How would you describe your work to somebody who could not see? How would you explain your forms and colours?

SW: At the moment, I definitely think my work is full of fluid forms, long shadows, human-like figures with some sort of balance between joy and sadness, romance and violence. The colours are quite melancholic and intense; my work is intense! But then there is still a sense of trying to find a certain balance and tranquility within them.

“Where the Long Shadows Fall” – ‘The Lovers’, oil on canvas, 92 x 153cm.

OW: I agree. I feel like, when looking at your works, especially your watercolours, there is an ambiguity. Sometimes they feel joyful and optimistic, but then simultaneously there is a sadness to them.

SW: Yes, there is a fragility to them. They are on the edge of appearing and disappearing. They are quite strange!

OW: In your artist statement you say that your work “is devoid of contemporary models of identification” and that you “rely on obliquely biomorphic figures to populate your work.” Would you say this lack of direct reference to things is important to your work?

SW: Yes. It is also a reflection of how I see my own identity as well. I find freedom within not categorising things. Because I have moved a lot and lived in many places, especially when I lived in Japan, I felt very alienated as I did not speak the language. All these experiences travelling and difficult moments have helped shape my understanding of myself. In my work, I explore this statement of trying to break away from the conventional way of categorising identity. I don’t want to be categorised. I find it difficult when people call me a “Chinese artist” as I feel like that does not reflect who I am. So, I suppose in my works there is a lot of influence from different cultures. There is an influence from calligraphy in the paint strokes, but there is also a more ‘Western’ influence.

OW: The lack of direct reference to things enables you more freedom. But also enables the viewer to have a wider interpretation of your work.

SW: Yes. I want the audience to respond to my work based on their own emotions.

OW: You use such a serene and calming colour palette, with blues, violets and reds dominating your most recent work. Are the colours you use something you consciously think about or what you naturally gravitate towards?

SW: I am definitely naturally drawn to them. I’m naturally drawn to blues. When I go to the art shop, I can’t imagine painting with anything other than blue! I have also started using red recently because I think in the narrative I was writing I started with blue, with a lot of descriptions involving blue. Then, I slowly developed the narrative into a scene of the moon [emerging] in blood. So, using red in my paintings evolved from this.

Bathing with the Red Frog, oil on canvas, 77 x 122 cm.

OW: Your writing, music and art are all very linked and seem to inspire each other. Can you tell us about this?

SW: Yes, it’s true. They are constantly in dialogue with each other and allow me to create new ideas and narratives. The things I make often reflect the things in my reality and what I experience, so they are also healing.

Left: Untitled, mixed media on paper, 24 x 32cm.

Right: Poem from Salome’s website.

OW: What is the main message or narrative you wish to portray through your work?

SW: I think I want to explore and communicate the idea of impermanence. Everything is very short-lived and I think in my painting there is that sense of the fragility of everything. There is a sense of portraying things on the edge of disappearance. I think it is important to evoke some sort of reflection on the impermanence of our own lives and how precious time is. As time passes, everything withers.

In Contemplation, oil on canvas, 56 x 92cm.

OW: What are your goals for the future and where do you aspire to take your practice? Will you explore writing and music more?

SW: My goal is to combine my fine art practice with music. I don’t really have a clear idea of how to achieve that yet. My song lyrics are based on the narratives I write, and my music videos are quite like performance art, and I want to keep exploring this. I want to expand into a more immersive form of art, which is very ambitious. I also want to write music that is more resonant with the paintings, so they can be brought together.

Thank you, Salome.

Imagery courtesy of the artist.

To stay up-to-date with Salome’s work, follow her on Instagram or visit her website.

Olivia Wilson,

Reviews Editor, MADE IN BED