Tori Hong
Artist Statement
Hmong. Korean. Two cultures originating from Asia but with vastly different histories and traditions. As a child of divorce born into these two diasporas, feeling "whole" was never a given and because of that, I've rooted my practice in reverence for both my ancestors and future generations. It's the tensions and harmonies between these two lineages that I'm particularly drawn to, and only by creating hybridized art have I been able to make sense of my place in the world and give birth to something new.My practice incorporates my intuition, and what is intuition if not the wisdom of our ancestors? The process begins with research: exploring subjects, testing methods, and experimenting with mediums. Along the way I take notes, extensively journal, and receive feedback from my communities. As the project crystallizes, I enter phases of concentrated repetition, echoing an action over and over until it accumulates into a new form. This can look like hand stitching into cloth, pounding dak (paper mulberry pulp), and making marks on paper. I endeavor not only to preserve cultural knowledge but to transform it for the future of my communities. A collaborative, participatory focus is essential to my practice to ensure we are building these futures together. This is how cultures adapt and survive.
Ultimately, my practice is an ongoing investigation into the breadth and depth of our humanity, and I hope my audience experiences the spectrums of grief, resilience, and hope. My work invites the viewer to reflect on their own ancestral roots, as complicated as they may be, and contemplate the choices they can make for our descendants. How do we survive these troubling times together without forgetting where we came from and who we’re living for?
Currently based in Honolulu, HI, I received my MFA in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design (2025). Select awards include: Art Annex Artist-in-Residence (2026), RISD Graduate Commons Grant Fellowship (2025), RISD Spur Fund (2025), AICAD Teaching Fellowship nominee (2025), AIGA Worldstudio DxD Scholarship (2024-2025), Everwood Artist Retreat (2024), Springboard for the Arts Hinge Arts Residency (2021), MRAC Next Step Fund (2020), Forecast Public Art Early Career Research and Development Grant (2020), and more.
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