Tori Hong
Artist Statement
By honoring methods honed out of scarcity and necessity, I remix heritage craft traditions—paj ntaub (Hmong embroidery), bojagi (Korean patchwork quilting), and minhwa (Korean folk painting)—into contemporary art. I explore folk magic, culture, and resilience through hand-making and spiritually-led processes, allowing the work to accrue layers and transform over time. My art is diaristic, drawing inspiration from life experiences, personal rituals, and dynamic self-explorations.What is intuition if not accumulated generational knowledge? Epigenetic research speculates that trauma and resilience are passed down generationally. As a queer person, I understand that my ancestors and descendants also include chosen family. Because I'm of distinct ethnic backgrounds—Hmong and Korean—born on stolen land developed with stolen labor, healing intergenerational trauma is a complex endeavor. A hybridization of approaches is needed to promote restoration, change, and resilience. By conferring with my inner voice, I'm in conversation with myself, my chosen ancestors, and those who call to me from the future. After all, time is not linear.
My projects begin with research. I then let my intuition wander between subjects, mediums, and methods—taking notes, journaling, and receiving feedback from my communities along the way. There will be a moment when the project begins to crystallize, transforming from experiments into a concept that demands to be unearthed. This is when I enter a phase of repetition and concentration, repeating an action over and over until it accumulates into a new form. The work will continue to iterate as materials are layered and removed, coalescing until it reaches its natural stopping point. I complete my projects by tying up oose threads and sharing the piece with my communities.
Artist Biography
At five years old, I began creating art as a form of entertainment. In the suburbs of Minneapolis, MN, I attended public schools with well-funded art curriculums. As an adolescent, I began struggling with undiagnosed mental illnesses, chronic illness, and disabilities; being closeted; and experiencing relationship abuse and sexual violence. Creating art saved me; however, I was discouraged from pursuing it as a career.During my undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, I designed a BA in Social Justice, Leadership, and Communication Studies. I became a student organizer, coordinating a peaceful sit-in which led to the formation of the Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender & Sexuality Studies. Although community organizing was an effective way to create social change, it was not good for my disabilities. It was in the throes of seasonal depression I finally asked myself, "What makes little Tori happy?" My inner child replied, "Art."
My art career began in 2017 as a self-taught illustrator, creating community art spaces and promoting social justice, civic engagement, and environmental responsibility. My illustrations have been published by Haymarket Books (2022), UCLA (2020), University of Minnesota (2019), among others. I’ve worked with clients such as: Stanford University, Rhode Island School of Design, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Lamba Legal, Race Forward, and more. My illustrations have also been collected by Brown University’s Special Collections. I am currently based in Providence, RI, where I received my MFA in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design (2025).
As I continue to pursue my vocation, I have expanded my focus to creating interdisciplinary and participatory art. Although I experienced success and recognition as an illustrator, the stories of my ancestors, self, and descendants have grown beyond digital media and client-based work. Fundamentally, I create art as research, a vehicle for material connection, and—as always—a means to shape change.
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.
Download CV
Illustration Archives