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Artist Statement:
Art Statement
Cynthia Tom is a visual
multi-media artist, passionate
about social justice, women’s
issues and playing with the
accepted norm. Surrealism is
the platform for her ideas to
ruminate, take form, solutions
discovered and color to
inspire.
A seeker and philosopher
about issues in her life, her
ancestors and the community of
women, she is inspired by
dialog with friends and
family, forming new themes and
stories for her work.
Collaboration and
brainstorming are her passion.
Her work has been
exhibited at the Legion of
Honor in San Francisco, the De
Young Museum, and Yerba Buena
Center for the Arts and
various other galleries from
New York to Washington to San
Francisco. She lectures on her
work, issues related to women,
feminism in the arts and Asian
American women in the arts.
Cynthia is included in the
text book, “Women Artists of
the American West”, edited by
Susan Ressler, University of
Purdue and “Traces of
Migration and In-Betweeness:
Poetics and Politics in
Post-colonial Asian Women
Artists”, by Laura Fantone
PhD, SF Art Institute
,University of Padua Press,
Italy. Cynthia is currently
Board President, Exhibitions
Curator and Programs Chair of
AAWAA, Asian American Women
Artists Association.
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Further Information
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Artist Exhibitions:
Medium
Painting, mixed media,
installation, cultural and
social issues, curatorial
projects
Selected Solo Exhibitions and
Artist in residence programs
2010-2011 SF Arts Commission
-Art in Storefronts,
Chinatown, 950 GRANT AVE., SF
2006 Undiscovered Research,
Exhibition in conjunction with
the Artist in Residence
Program, The Legion of Honor,
San Francisco...
Further Information
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Artist Galleries:
Coming Soon!
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Artist Reviews:
Coming Soon!
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Collections:
Coming Soon!
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Commissions:
Coming Soon!
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Cynthia Tom Biography:
| Biographical information for Cynthia Tom can be found below. The artist may choose what information to display. Sometimes the artist chooses not to display personal information to the general public. |
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Age
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0
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| Gender |
Female
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| Status |
Committed
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| Children |
99
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| Religion |
not provided |
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| Education |
not provided |
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| Hobbies / Interests |
Painting, assemblage, mixed media, installation |
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| Favorite Artistic Medium |
Mixed Media
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| Favorite Arthistory Movement |
Surrealism - (1924 - 1955)
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| Favorite Visual Artist |
Lenor Fini, Picasso,
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| Favorite Work of Art |
not provided
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| Biggest Artistic Inspiration |
Thelonious Monk, Lenor Fini, Remedios Varo, Adele Shaw, Picasso, REM, Sue Tom, Richard Tom, Chris Leib, Magritte, Joseph Cornell |
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| Why Did You Become An Artist |
Unknown, but definitely genetic.
I think it is from birth, not a choice. |
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| Your Personal Biography |
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
Cynthia Tom is an artist, passionate about social justice, women’s issues and playing with the accepted norm. Surrealism provides the space for her ideas to grow, questions to be raised and color to inspire.
Cynthia is a seeker and philosopher about issues in our lives, her ancestors and the community of women. Her new artistic paths are inspired by dialog with friends and family, forming new themes and stories for her work. Symbols, cues and clues fill her art, which is described as “Cultural Surrealism”.
Exhibited at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, the De Young Museum, S.F., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and galleries from New York to San Francisco, she has been a panel juror for the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Art in Storefronts. Cynthia also lectures on her work, women’s issues and the art of Asian American women nationally as well.
Cynthia is included in Univ. of Purdue text book, “Women Artists of the American West”, edited by S. Ressler, “Traces of Migration and In-Betweeness: Poetics and Politics in Post-colonial Asian Women Artists” by Laura Fantone, PhD-University of Padua, Italy and The Art Institute S.F. and “Entering the Picture: Judy Chicago, The Fresno Feminist Art Program, and the Collective Visions of Women Artists” (New Directions in American History) edited by Jill Fields.
Cynthia’s strong female images evoke a longing for freedom of expression and a life of choice. Her paintings persuade us to look beyond the aesthetic--to challenge stereotypes and traditional roles, questioning paradigms and encourage our internal dialogue.
As a third-generation Chinese American, Cynthia draws inspiration from divergent cultures. The resulting contradictions are expressed in a variety of ways. Eastern and Western symbols often share space on the same canvas. A Chinese collar may top a dress form with western sensibilities; a cheongsam is juxtaposed with a Victorian skirt.
Moreover, the clothing takes on its own autonomy. The dress forms represent the human spirit. They may exist in different environments, elaborately clothed, or their interiors become an exposed psychic landscape. Regardless of these dress forms’ surroundings and embellishments, their essential core, the human spirit, remains a constant.
These strong female images evoke a longing for freedom of expression and a life of choice.
Her paintings persuade us to look beyond the aesthetic--to challenge stereotypes and traditional roles, question paradigms and encourage our internal dialogue.
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