ARTIST STATEMENT
The pieces submitted were inspired by Toni Morrison’s call to action, “This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair. No place for self-pity. No need for silence. No room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. “Look Closer” is sourced from multiple printed materials. The transparent overlay is a poster from the ACLU of Marin County. Art is a powerful combination of liberation and free speech. The dilemma I faced making these pieces was whether or not to name names from the current administration. I chose not to because there always will be those who try to trample on our freedoms. Using our visual voice lays a foundation for resistance.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Talon (she/her) is a queer Korean transracial, transnational adoption survivor and emerging found poetry and analog paper collage artist. Working with primarily cut-out words and phrases found in a multitude of printed materials, she uses collage as a form of resistance to disrupt the adoptee narrative. Having started her artistic journey in October 2024, she is in the process of building her resume. She completed the Kolaj Institute’s Poetry and Collage Residence in January 2025 with the help of their grant, and has had work accepted in 6 group exhibitions – the most recent in the UK, South Korea, Baton Rouge, LA and Annapolis, MA. She received Best Collage in Sunspot’s Literary Journal Inception Contest July edition and was published in IHRMF Press Literary Journal June edition and Penn Journal of Arts and Science Summer edition. In her previous professional life, Talon was an accountant.
© Talon