At This Point

Nathan Wong

Nathan Wong is known for his colorful paintings incorporating geometric patterns and imagery inspired by the scalability of paper folds. Drawing inspiration from color combinations found in fashion and nature and merging them with hard-edged linear shapes, the artist encourages the viewer to playfully challenge their perceptions of depth and balance.

At This Point, an exhibition of new works created during the pandemic by Bay Area-based artist Nathan Wong. As anti-Asain hate crimes rose nationally, Wong addresses this twin pandemic through the lens of his own identity as a Chinese-American, creating delicate, geometric paintings as celebration of his family, culture, and the beauty of nature amidst this painful moment.

“These new paintings are inspired by zhezhi (摺紙), the art of paper folding, and jiǎnzhǐ (剪纸), the art of paper cutting— two ancient techniques still used today to create paper sculptures that represent joy and prosperity at weddings or festivals,” said artist Nathan Wong. “These works flatten the edges and replace the negative space found within these objects with colors inspired by Spring blooms, creating a new type of good luck charm that reflects my own diasporic identity and experience. I hope they manifest positivity during this difficult time.”

By applying many layers of matte paint, Wong creates a slightly raised yet paperlike surface, slowly developing a sense of organic spontaneity that renders the painter’s brush invisible.