Artist: Mercedes Ng
Medium: Oil on Masonite
Titles: Mixed Fruit Tart, Mango Tart, Raspberry Tart, Strawberry & Kiwi Tart, Lemon Tart, Strawberry Tart
About the Artwork: Food has always been associated with cultural identity. However, I see food as not only beautiful and scrumptious things set for consumption, but as a way for individuals to come together and find common ground. All this despite language barriers and cultural differences. I remember my first year living in the States, feeling timid and uncomfortable. Yet every single time I smelled the waft of fresh baked cookies or homemade empanadas, I felt in part that I was home. It didn’t matter if it was something foreign to me, I enjoyed both savoring it and using it as an icebreaker. These tarts paintings are a reminder of the miraculous power of food in human connection.
About the Artist: Mercedes Ng was born and raised in Hong Kong and is now living in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was educated at University of Utah and later finished her Bachelor of Arts in Brigham Young University in 2020. She specializes in oil paintings that are associated with her upbringing and her identity as a BIPOC artist. Mercedes' work is influenced by Wayne Thiebaud and Rackshaw Downes. In her practice, she tries to follow this motto by Thiebaud, "I think of myself as a beginner. Sometimes that's the whole joy. If you could just do it, there'd be no point in doing it." In case you couldn't tell, she loves food and the randomness of life. She paints not only to educate others but also to outrun her boredom.
