Olivia Cheng

I make paintings that explore subtle power imbalances in intimate relationships. There is a flirtation between the sweet and the vulgar, and a quiet unraveling of gender roles as these two identities interact. Being in my twenties and entering college has harbored a unique conglomeration of independence, self-discovery, and observance of hierarchy amongst my peers and partners. Tastes of vulnerability and exciting uncertainty only magnify the interplay of power and submission.

In my pieces, scripted roles and societal expectations of gender are thrown out the window, offering the viewer a glimpse into female empowerment and autonomy when it comes to sexuality and intimate connections. It is important to me that my audience recognize the potential shared revelations of sexual discoveries and promiscuity of women without feeling indignity or guilt. Amplified through the use of bold color and scale, my figures pose and perform for an audience. They are disobedient but self-aware, reveling in their own sexuality while at the same time clearly performing a role that has been created for them.