Conan Zhao

About The Artwork

Critical Article, 2022, Oil on canvas

This artwork is a personal exploration of the reality and intricate relationship between HERITAGE and SELF-IDENTITY. This exploration manifests itself like a conversation between a younger me, who pressured himself to quickly adopt Western values and suppress his cultural heritage due to insecurity, and a dichotomous view of my present self, who believes in confronting current social challenges with honest expression and cultural advocacy.