Broad Art Center, Los Angeles, US 2025 From Foreign to Domestic: An Interrogation of Belongingness Lou’s artistic practice explores themes of belonging, nostalgia, and alienation through meticulous portrayals of commonplace objects and figurative painting. The "object paintings" act as narrative bridges, connecting seemingly disparate elements and illuminating how mundane items mediate human relationships and reflect shifting social identities. Often depicting objects that were once cherished and later discarded, these paintings interrogate the nuances of value and intimacy within domestic spaces. Rooted in personal experience, the fascination with consumer goods emerges from an upbringing in Wenzhou, a rapidly industrializing city emblematic of China’s shift from a socialist planned economy to a market-driven one. Immersed in a culture of entrepreneurial vigor and booming production, Lou witnessed firsthand how material possessions became potent symbols of social status, significantly impacting social dynamics and personal relationships. These early encounters with mass-produced objects—cheap toys, stationery, decorative trinkets—later became central motifs, embodying a complex form of nostalgia. Rather than conventional sentimental longing, this nostalgia encapsulates unfulfilled possibilities and lost potential, highlighting the lingering emotional resonance of seemingly trivial items. Contrary to romanticized portrayals of nostalgia as utopian memory, Lou views nostalgia as a political and historical emotion bridging collective and individual memories. The artwork, characterized by an aesthetic of "cheapness," symbolizes the vulnerability and uncertainty of self-awareness. Broken or insignificant objects become focal points that provoke introspection rather than immediate emotional responses. Gradually, her artistic inquiry evolved from an examination of nostalgia to broader concepts of social alienation and estrangement. Using the hometown and familial experiences as microcosms to explore tensions between tradition and modernity, the work highlights the complex interplay of personal identity and societal expectations, revealing struggles to reconcile inherited cultural rituals with contemporary perspectives. Portraiture is redefined, transitioning from precise realism to a more expressive approach emphasizing emotional resonance and ambiguity. Recognizing the diminished power of traditional figurative painting in an era dominated by digital imagery, the work challenges the mechanical perception of representational art. The portraits intentionally obscure personal identity, employing distortion and subtle disruption to create tension between familiarity and unfamiliarity. This deliberate ambiguity invites viewers into deeper contemplation and interpretation, mirroring a personal desire to balance openness with concealment. A restrained color palette, dominated by opaque, low-saturation grays, further embodies this duality. Gray becomes a metaphorical tool, simultaneously communicating emotional restraint and subtle intensity. Its inherent instability and ambiguity mirror the broader artistic process, continuously negotiating between control and unpredictability. Ultimately, the exploration transcends personal reflection, engaging broader social phenomena through deeply introspective work. Lou’s art captures the persistent tension between alienation and belonging, presenting creation as a means of resisting powerlessness. Embracing ongoing transformation, the practice is viewed not as definitive closure but as a continual journey toward self-understanding, balance, and reinvention.