Dear Sketchbook is an exhibition that delves into my personal artistic journey, featuring a curated selection of sketchbooks spanning from 2014 to the present. The focus of the exhibition features my intimate relationship with sketchbooks, emphasizing each sketch and employing collage techniques on panels to enhance and expand the essence of a sketchbook. I am transforming the sketches into drawings, paintings, and collages. Each wood panel further serves as a visual narrative, summarizing and intensifying the atmosphere of the corresponding sketchbook displayed on a pedestal below—allowing viewers to explore freely.
The importance of sketchbooks serves as daily visual diaries capturing sticky note memoir comics, grocery lists, written entries, drawing practices, and doodles that mirror my thoughts and emotions in the present moment. Reflecting on my early years, the act of making marks on scrap paper preceded my ability to walk. Even as a baby, I insisted on a pen and paper to draw. While in moments of anxiety, my sketchbook becomes a therapeutic outlet—providing solace when there's no one to talk to and serving as a canvas for expressing overwhelming sensations. The absence of sketching for even a few days leaves my mind feeling empty and adrift, underscoring the vital role routine sketchbooking plays in maintaining my coping practices and mental equilibrium.
The unique aspect of this exhibition lies in its deviation from the traditional privacy associated with sketchbooks. While typically private, fostering an uninhibited relationship between the artist and the sketchbook—I have always shared mine. This provided a sense of connection and relief from the isolation. Loneliness has been a constant burden for years, and I was able to find solace in the act of sharing my sketchbook as a bridge to others. Consequently, the fear of judgment dissolves when others view my sketchbooks or drawings. I find value in being able to share my messy, unhinged marks with others through various platforms.
Dear Sketchbook challenges the norms of gallery exhibitions, embracing the unrefined nature of sketchbooks and the spontaneity of mixed-media collages. The intention is to inspire others to keep a sketchbook and create marks that exist in their raw, unpolished form—a valid expression in itself. The sacred and special relationship between the sketchbook and its owner, bound by an unwritten contract, offers ultimate agency and significant mental relief. The exhibition aims to encourage a broader movement of embracing the authenticity of creative expression.
