Wowser Ng stands at the forefront of contemporary digital art, blending abstract aesthetics, identity exploration, and cultural commentary into visually striking works. With a background in traditional media, fashion, and academic research, Wowser creates pieces that challenge norms and evoke emotional resonance. This interview delves into the methods, inspirations, and philosophies that define Wowser’s practice, from crafting unique objects and queer figures to pushing the boundaries of digital painting in a rapidly evolving art world.

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Describe your quest for uniqueness in your art. How do you distinguish your work from others?

I do not deliberately pursue any particularity, which means that my works are all based on my experiences. I think everyone’s experiences and preferences are different, and there can’t be two identical people in this world. In theory, everyone's work should be different. My work features swirling and abstract self-created objects, as well as queer figures of all shapes and sizes. Very trendy and gorgeous colors, if digital painting can be considered a uniqueness then it can also be considered a trait.

With the benefit of hindsight, would you choose a different career path? Why or why not?

Maybe not. When I was a student, I often received invitations from variety TV shows and interview invitations from some internet celebrity agencies. But I refused. I am not an extrovert and I don’t like to expose myself in front of many people. I prefer to retreat behind the scenes. Art may be the best choice. My works can directly talk to the audience for me. I can be alone in the studio and create quietly.

Discuss the importance of messaging in your art and the audience’s understanding of it. How crucial is it for your audience to grasp the message behind your artwork? Do you create with a specific message in mind, and how do you gauge its reception?

My work explores topics such as identity and the commodification of culture, materialism, and more. Information is indeed important in my work, but I try to avoid the audience directly understanding the information, which will make the work appear straightforward and boring. I hope that my works can be accepted by different groups of people from different perspectives. Some art lovers may come from finance, law and other industries, and even children can appreciate the joy and energy brought by colors and brushstrokes. At the same time, art practitioners with academic backgrounds can have personal color interpretations in my works, which will make my works richer.

Describe your artistic process from conception to completion. Could you walk us through the steps of your artistic process, starting from the initial idea to the finished piece? How do you develop your concepts, and what are the key stages in creating your final work?

My work starts by researching some items that interest me, and then recording them in a sketch book as inspiration materials. Later, I will also try out some items I want to create in my mind, and draw some rough sketches in the sketchbook. Then I started doing some collage to find the best options for composition. Then I make preliminary sketches based on the collage, and then it's all colored and in-depth sculpted in the computer. Finally, I will choose the most suitable carrier and size based on the image, which may be paper, canvas, aluminum plate, etc. I often do some meditation on objects. This helps me get rid of my dependence on reality. I don't want to directly depict an emotionless object in the physical world. I hope that they can be used to evoke a deeper emotional dialogue. The most critical part of my work is the mastery of objects and characters. The information, emotions conveyed by the objects and characters, and whether the energy after abstraction is sufficient will affect the final presentation of my work.

Explain the evolution of your artistic style and your aspirations through this technique. How has your artistic style evolved over time? Can you describe the journey and changes in your technique? What are your aspirations for your style and technique moving forward?

My artistic style has evolved quite a bit. I first came into contact with traditional media, and my first award-winning work was an oil painting. The original painting style had some hints of expressionism, but I thought it was a little inconsistent with the times I lived in. So I started to try digital painting. I thought that as a Gen Z person who has been exposed to computers and other technological products since I was a child, this medium might arouse wider resonance. My initial work involved appropriating found objects to construct visual narratives exploring topics of identity and materialism. But I felt that this might be a bit outdated, so I began to try to design objects that I imagined in my mind, and abstracted their shapes so that they could appear in abstract forms throughout the picture, trying to awaken the audience's most important feelings. Intuitive emotional desires. I have always hoped to develop a painting language that is based on my own experience and is different from other artists, so in the future I may create more objects that do not exist in real life, but I feel that they do not belong to surrealism. Maybe one day they will will be produced by me.

Discuss the importance of personal connection to your subject matter. How important is having a personal connection to the subjects or themes of your artwork? Can you give examples of how this connection has influenced your work?

I think this is very important. Only sincere works can impress more people. I think the generation of images should be natural, generated by personal experience and parameters such as background, personality, hobbies, etc. For example, I come from a family with a strong academic atmosphere. My grandfather studied Chinese language and literature. This may have affected my works, making my works more based on academic aspects rather than considering market preferences.In other words, my art practice is more about academic research rather than about what kind of artwork will be liked by collectors and will sell easily. Furthermore, I have a background in the fashion industry. When I was a child, I loved reading various fashion magazines and drawing my favorite fashion products on sketch books, so I can keenly capture the superficial and gorgeous essence of fashion. This sense of fashion and ephemerality naturally flows into my work. Secondly, my diverse identity also affects my creations. I was born in China and then moved to the UK. This cultural blend will also affect my works, and I often depict Asian queer images in my works. This is also Based on my experience and who I am.

Can you recall a specific instance where someone's unique interpretation of your artwork provided you with a new perspective or insight?

When I was studying at the University of the Arts London, I met a teacher named Harriet. She guided me very patiently, and her experience and methods have always influenced my creation. My first works were not that mature and often explored some social issues. But she taught me that art should come from your experience and form your own understanding from the bottom up. After that, my works seemed to have souls and emotions, and seemed to tell stories from the past.

If you could choose to live anywhere in the world, where would it be and how does this location connect to your art?

I think London is pretty good, I like rainy days. I think there are also many rainy scenes in my paintings. I also prefer cities that are tolerant, especially for LGBTQ+ people, which London also has. After coming to London, I feel that I will be more courageous to express my true self. If I have the chance, I might also want to go to New York and Paris, because the artistic atmosphere there is more avant-garde and more suitable for my works.

What are your long-term goals and aspirations as a professional artist?

A lot of people want me to do oils and acrylics, but I don't think I'm going to be creating those at the moment. I want to push the possibilities of digital painting to the maximum, which is exciting. We are in an era of rapid development of technology and artificial intelligence, and the art industry will not avoid the influence of technology and artificial intelligence. Digital painting has not yet achieved the same status as traditional painting. I hope that in the future I can expand this wasteland and continue to create some unique abstract substances to develop this abstract aesthetic that is different from traditional pop art to the greatest possibility, and find their vital position in the fierce art world. I cannot predict the future, but if one day an artificial intelligence robot that can paint oil appears, the importance of digital painting may be re-examined.

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Wowser Ng's art bridges the personal and the universal, fusing cultural identity, academic inquiry, and avant-garde aesthetics. With a commitment to expanding the possibilities of digital painting, Wowser challenges the traditional boundaries of art and redefines its future. The focus on innovation, combined with a deeply personal connection to subject matter, ensures that Wowser’s work remains at the cutting edge of contemporary art. Future projects promise to further explore uncharted territories, cementing Ng’s role as a bold voice in the global art landscape.