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Susan Lee-Chun is a performance-based artist living and working in Miami.
I work in an interdisciplinary manner. My interests in the relationship between identity and place manifest themselves in a body of work that incorporates performance, video, and installations. Fascinated with the power of humor and its capability to grab the attention of a wider audience, I employ a tongue-in-cheek style in my work. However, the humor is only a façade; beyond the image lies a deeper intensity to the work that explores notions of race and identity politics. Through subtle representations and actions, I investigate the pervasive struggles of being classified as the “other,” and one’s innate desire to fit in. I confront this classification by creating interactive works about my presence. I use my actions to impact and alter the perceptions of the viewing public.
My recent body of work, Versus, is a further step in the exploration of assimilation and identity politics. The work centers on two characters, Sue and Sioux. In past works, the character Sue was a vehicle used to demonstrate our innate desire to belong to the dominant group. My attempts to assimilate, though aided by uniforms and make-up, were often failures because of my "different-ness." The new work provides a glimpse into the rise of Sioux, a comical and expressive personality of Sue, yet one who doesn’t buy into the ideals of assimilating into the establishment. Sioux, the attacking figure, is the antithesis of Sue. The conflict and tension between these two figures implies the rejection and subversion of assimilation and being a "team player.” Sioux rejects the familiar and defiantly marches to her own beat.
