“Objects in Mirror” by Kanthy Peng
Welcome to Kanthy Peng, our new artist in Studio #41! Specializing in lens-based mediums, Kanthy began her studies in film but quickly developed a passion for photography. She holds a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2016) and an MFA from the Yale School of Art (2019).
In recent years, Peng has traveled extensively, ranging from exhibitions or screenings in Germany and China, to residencies in Malta, the Netherlands, and Maine, U.S.A. Since settling in San Diego, she is thrilled to get her first dedicated studio space. When not working in her studio, Kanthy might be found hanging out with her beloved West Highland Terrier or teaching at local universities.
These are a few mock-ups of Kanthy’s larger pieces that will be on display at Best Practice Gallery.
Her current art practice focuses on the unbalanced movement resulting from– or embodied in –colonialism, disasters, and globalized tourism. At her upcoming solo exhibition, Objects in Mirror, Peng’s work is in three parts, all of which examine our connections with seaside living in the past and present, both here in San Diego and in distant places.
They Won’t Go consists of life-size photographs of boulders representing pieces of an abandoned harbor project at Coronado Island. Historically, many Coronado buildings and projects were constructed by Chinese immigrants. The title of this piece evolved from an 1800s “Coronado Evening Mercury” article discouraging the use of Chinese laborers.
A Japanese folktale about the deadly Great Tsunami of 1896 is depicted in a series of black and white photographs.
Shaped like an auto’s side-view mirror, a projection of “surf cams” from around coastal San Diego will be constantly livestreamed. Sometimes, things like the sunrise, sunset, and the flow of the ocean’s tides can hold very different meanings across cultures. Remember: Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear.
Peek into a model of the gallery to see a glimpse of Kanthy’s vision for setting up her exhibition.
Objects in Mirror will be on display from July 8 - August 12 at the Best Practice Gallery inside Bread & Salt (1955 Julian Avenue), with an opening reception on July 8 from 5:00-8:00 pm.
*Click here to find Kanthy’s website, as well as all other S4A artist websites.