Mich NG

Artist Statement

Organic Characters

I create wearable textiles that are inspired by organic textures and surfaces seen in nature particularly fungi and moss that creeps over other surfaces or plants. My color palette mainly includes contrasting hues of greens and purples and occasionally fluorescent colors such as yellow, red and pale fleshy pink, which are used to make the pieces vibrant and natural looking. The colors are meant to convey contrasting hues we see from architectural organisms that shock and attract the eye. Inspired by the ever-changing quality and growth of plant life, materials such as rope, copper wire and monofilament are incorporated into most of my pieces to help mould my garments into organic and playful structures.

I am currently focusing on techniques of weaving and coiling to translate organic surfaces seen particularly in creeping, miniscule plant life. My working processes delve into directly engaging with the materials and allowing the materials to mould the garments as I sculpt and work around the body form. My favorite part of my working process is watching my work develop as it unfolds through the processes into sculptural wearable pieces. Sculpting around the body also mirrors the processes of nature moving incrementally through time. As these pieces envelope around the wearer, they create a sense of an environment for the wearer, who embodies the organic character of the piece.

My passion for textiles began when I moved to England from Malaysia for further studies. My cultural background comes from my birthplace and this may be why I have always admired colors and surfaces seen in natural environments such as the rainforest. I transferred to the Bay Area in California two years ago, to acquire new and different experiences. My inspirations include artists such as Nick Cave and Mandy Greer. I am also deeply inspired by theatrical movies such as “Romeo & Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge” by Baz Luhrmann and Bollywood movies such as “Devdas” by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and “Om Shanti Om” by Farah Khan.