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SO HEARTBROKEN TO POST THIS BUT I AM BEING CHALLENGED AS A VISUAL ARTIST BY AN ENTIRE AMERICAN CITY, PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE. ALL IMAGES ABOVE ARE MY OWN WORK PRIOR TO 2020, OTHER THAN THOSE NAMED.

EVIDENCE: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mkog-Z1T7zWHAS8XlH_VmzABV-L0Fzkl?usp=share_link

In the past calendar year I have been finalist for my drawings of public sculptures in NINE U.S. CITIES, and I have won two of these commissions with another pending. I have created a number of public sculptures for cities including my maritime “Waves” series, since 2017. In September 2022 I submitted my drawing, img 2, to the insta @ portsmouthnh400 committee (they blocked me). In November the fellow six other finalist artists for this open-ended national competition for $200k was revealed to each other during our interview sign up process. My screenshot here shows that. In early March 2023 Sijia was selected and announced, and I brought the past works to the committee’s attention. Two weeks later I noticed a design nearly identical to mine was being advertised in @ seacoastonline (reporters there ignoring me), on the portsmouthnh400 pages, on insta @ sijiachenart website and on the city’s press releases for a $100k commission. I was absolutely shocked. After I inquired again, the committee also did not respond. They sent me a one line response from the city’s lawyer, Suzanne Woodward. Please DM me for the evidence folder if you can help. I have written many times over the past month to the mayor, the city council, the original committee and even the artist to PLEASE STOP THE FABRICATION OF MY ORIGINAL DESIGN. I have not once asked for money or to be credited. I simply want this circus to end. I spoke at city hall on Tuesday in Portsmouth and was ambushed by a surprise response of denials - the committee most likely illegally shared my letter with the artist in California over the weekend. She is denying all wrongdoing.

I am simply asking for the design to be removed from the internet and articles. It is too similar to my finalist design to be seen as original in this insane context, especially considering previous unoriginal works in the artist’s portfolio. Herself and the city act like I am “accusing” her of something much graver and asking for something else, never once speaking to me about the matter since the start of March 2023.

She is older and more established, I am a queer, disabled first generation immigrant. This is just so dishonorable, and unethical. Write to committee: [email protected] But they don’t care. I need help.

This December 2020 it was amazing to design the sculptural set for DJ Oona Dahl’s livestreamed ambient set on renowned label and event company All Day I Dream (ADID). We received over 10k views across Twitch and Facebook! Oona’s next livestream set will feature these props in their nighttime light environment, since this stream had a daytime theme.

Watch the recording of the stream:

It was lovely to present my solo installation of light sculptures “Fairy Organs” at Amy Van Doran’s Modern Love Club Gallery in the East Village. In fact, due to the pandemic, it turned out to be the last exhibition at the four year old gallery. What a pleasure, and a great thanks to Amy for maintaining an excellent community space through the years. The gallery may return in the future.

In the past I exhibited at Modern Love alongside none other than Man Ray and Michael Halsband. In the middle of this article you can see an image of my smaller works, hanging light sculptures against the back of the gallery.

This was a difficult year for artists. I found it remarkable that after waiting for three months for unemployment benefits after covid-19 hit, a CNN reporter profiled my studio and featured it in an article about freelancers - which resulted in my benefits being released later that day! I am grateful to have my work featured. When you scrolled through the CNN home page that day, it was all one cover image of politicians after another - and then my queer pink head in the middle of everything. Happy to break up the monotony.

Grateful to have been a part of the Masks in the Wild project with my NYC-based gallery Wallplay. In May they had artists throughout NYC decorate masks to promote health and safety and distribute them to members of the community.

https://www.masksinthewild.com/

https://bklyner.com/masks-in-the-wild/

It was lovely to showcase my hand cut light sculpture installation in the window at Refuge Arts (Bedstuy, Brooklyn) for several weeks in May. The artwork was part of the “International Day of Light” and the “LIGHT WINDOWS” curation by the Center for Holographic Arts (NYC).

http://holocenter.org/events/may-2018

Here’s a link to press about the show:

Some shots of my installation with Furby Queen, “FVCCBOI PU$$Y PORT4L: The Cyber Hentai Fantasy Realm” for Satellite Art Fair NYC in fall of 2019, at The Pfeizer Building. VIDEO:

Selected shots from my epic photoshoot with Vancouver-based Yvette Tang in my studio, featuring my hand cut light sculptures and shibari by Lana Boy.