*Lily Lin is the Head Graphic Artist for the Scroll
From September 7 to September 29, the Reid Student Gallery located outside of Hess classroom 123 housed a series of incredibly eye-catching artworks by Lily Lin ’23. On one wall, a panel of pieces depicted still lifes of various foods being dipped in milk. On another, a triptych—a three-panel artwork—created in the same style used in medieval church art depicted the ruling of Dobbs. Finally, an exhibit with countless hanging eyes, each one gazing back at onlookers with unsettling intensity, sprung out of one corner.
These pieces, among others in her exhibit, were created by Lily Lin ’23. When asked about what inspires her to make art, Lin replied, “I like to gather inspiration by learning about the perspectives of other artists.” She explained, “that’s why I love going to museums and other art galleries to see other people’s takes, as it gives me different ways to see the world.”
Additionally, Lin draws inspiration from current events, as exemplified in the aforementioned triptych about Roe v. Wade. When explaining her reasoning behind using a more dated style to represent this issue, Lin said, “after Dobbs’ decision, I felt like the world was regressing and going back to the archaic times of the ancient world, which is why I chose to create my art following the medieval style.”
Over the summer, Lin attended a summer program with a college professor in New York. She has since been inspired to create more conceptual art that “carries a message and has a reason behind creating it.” As a result, Lin was motivated to create the artworks displayed in the Hess.
Regarding her creative process, Lin explained that she first “finds a big overarching theme,” then “uses that theme as a guideline in order to stay focused and create a cohesive piece of art.”
While she has created impressive products, Lin also recounts times in which she struggled with the artistic process. Two years ago, for example, Lin experienced “artist’s block” where she was unable to produce artwork during the entirety of her Spring Term art cocurricular. Lin credits Visual & Performing Arts Teacher Angel Abreu for helping her overcome her crisis, saying he “helped me develop a clear sense of direction for my art and get back into the flow.” Mr. Abreu did so by offering Lin tips on how to begin pieces, such as finding inspiration from literature. From there, Lin chose to draw influences from Mrs. Dalloway, a novel by Virginia Woolf. This decision led to the creation of her hanging eye piece (pictured above).
Looking to the future, Lin has expressed a desire to incorporate technology into her next masterpiece, wanting to stay trendy but also authentic to her own style of art. “I want to study art history when I go to college, as I really enjoy learning about how art has evolved over the centuries, which will help me use technology to hopefully create a piece that is both relatable and profound.”
Although Lin’s installation is no longer on display, students might just come across her work in galleries and museums in the future.
