From solo exhibitions to the Lorenzo Di Medici Institute of Art in Italy to live drawings of OkayArtists on the Okayplayer Tour to CD package design for jazz band, The Marcus Strickland Quartet, and jazz pianist Robert Glasper, Andrea Chung is just beginning. Her work combines hip-hop and raw emotion – ranging from personal to eclectic – to produce passionate pieces that speak to the soul, invoking deep thought. And that’s just the beginning. Who said the world had to be ready? Not Andrea Chung.
Unlike many artists, hooking up with this busy lady proved to be a simple task. She seemed open and initially uninterested. Rather matter-of-fact. It all made more sense after the interview. Andrea Chung is just straight forward – no frills, no pretentious artist attitude. Just Andrea.
I read your profile on your website, www.suite17d.com, which states that you “began to develop your own language through paintings…”. Tell me a little bit more about this. How were you introduced to art and painting and at what age?
I’ve been drawing since I was very little. I never really considered the possibility of really going to school for art until I was in high school and I went to a portfolio day. There were representatives from different art schools around the country and they would critique your work and let you know what you should work on to improve your portfolio. I didn’t seriously start painting until my sophomore year in college. I had a wonderful teacher and fell in love with the medium.
Understanding that your parents are of a West Indian background (Trinidadian and Jamaican), how has this influenced your work as an artist?
I don’t know if my parents’ backgrounds have affected my work. If they have, I’m not conscious of it as yet. I haven’t really painted anything about my family. It takes a lot of strength and energy to even begin to dig that deep into your experiences and be willing to let people see something that personal.
Many artists (especially those who go on to become “great”) use their art as an expression – a political, cultural, religious, or spiritual expression, what is your work an expression of?
My work is an expression of me, and who I am.
I’ve noticed that you’ve been involved with the design of several CD packages. Tell me more about this. How do you connect your art to music?
The CDs I’ve designed have been collaborations with friends of mine. I went to college with Marcus Strickland, and Robert Glasper (as well as some other amazing young jazz musicians) We all are trying to get our careers started, so them hiring me to design their CD packages is just a way to help me out, and give each other work. Hip-hop is another form of inspiration for me. It’s a part of my life and a part of what makes me an artist. Its hard to explain. I mean, could you date someone that didn’t like hip-hop? It’s impossible to separate hip hop from who I am. It’s not even a “role” in my work, as it is something unconscious that comes out. I have a deep appreciation for musicians. They can create something that I cannot. They make songs, just like I make pictures. They inspire my pictures. They are what I listen to while I make these pictures. It’s like they find the words to my paintings.
Tell me something crazy, wild or just plain different about Andrea Chung that people are least likely to know?
Ha, I have nothing wild or different to share. I’m as dull as they come.
And lastly, what impression is Andrea Chung trying to make upon the world?… What type of legacy are you interested in leaving on future generations?
I think what’s most important to me is that people walk away learning something through my experiences. Whether they were chaotic mistakes, or small victories, if someone can learn anything good from witnessing my growth process, then I’m happy. If they can walk away feeling that art isn’t this elite thing, then I’m overjoyed.
This article first appeared in B.Informed Magazine.
To view more of Andrea’s work visit her website: http://www.suite17d.com
