Vol.9 曲家瑞：别把自己塞进一个答案里
Kristy Chu carries many labels: artist, writer, hand-drawn cartoonist, university professor, vintage toy collector, celebrity… Yet she never defines herself by titles. Instead, she delineates the boundaries of her existence through her works and actions. Identity, to her, is a fluid existence. Through deep self-exploration, she has chosen to walk firmly toward what she loves most: artistic creation.
For her, the core of creation has always been one thing: to resist being molded into a single form and to safeguard her unyielding authenticity. This authenticity does not need to be proclaimed—it grows quietly through daily acts of creation. The self and its meaning are not hidden in some distant place; they are distilled in the ordinary moments of everyday life.
Q&A
Q1. In recent years, you've dedicated more time to creation. Was there a particular turning point behind this?**
I used to think I was naturally gifted. I painted when I felt like it, and didn't when I didn't. I relied on my skills. Then, after a long period without painting, when I picked up the brush again, I realized—oh no, I'd lost that sense of ease and natural flow. I fell into a deep slump.
At my lowest point, I looked closely at Lucian Freud's work again. He was a master, with only about 175 pieces in his lifetime, and each one is a classic. It hit me that time waits for no one. If I wanted my own work to become a true Master Piece, I had to start from zero and treat every single moment of creation seriously.
Q2. You've lived and created in both New York and Taipei. Has your understanding of ‘freedom’ changed?**
When I was young, freedom meant escape. I thought freedom meant getting away from my parents, as far as possible. To me, New York was the perfect distance from Taipei. Over 30 years ago, when I first returned to Taipei, it felt like I was dragged back. I was filled with a sense of confinement. It probably took another ten years before I finally accepted that I wouldn't leave this city, and accepted that this is my home.
At a certain stage in life, you gain some realizations. You see that the freedom you had before is different from the freedom you have now. These days, I can feel at ease anywhere. When you feel freedom inside, you're free wherever you are.
Q3. If you could choose only one material to represent yourself, what would it be?
I think I'd be a piece of wood—solid, not hollow. The color isn't dark, not red, just a light shade. Yeah, just a piece of wood like that.
Q4. Could you share a challenge you've faced as a creator?
Back in university, I had an exhibition. A very well-known artist came to see my work and said it wasn't international enough, that it was very ‘local’. I felt really insecure back then and tried to change my colors. It was only later, as I grew older, that I realized—that was me. Everyone has their own origin, the place they come from. You should stay true to where you come from and where you're going.
Another time, a curator said to me, "Kristy, I know you've held many good exhibitions, but in between, you've been 'playing around'—going on shows, having a lot of fans. Don't you think people might see you as not taking your art seriously?" When I heard that, I almost flipped the table. Andy Warhol ‘played around’ too. Keith Haring ‘played around’.Those years wandering into the entertainment world became the nourishment for my recent work and shaped who I am today. Everyone has endless possibilities waiting to be discovered.
I think everyone can become who they want to be. Don't let others define you. If you want something, just go for it.
"True freedom is felt within the heart; with it, one is free anywhere.”