Voyo Woo is a Chinese American artist based in New York and New Jersey. She has been practicing traditional Chinese paper cutting since the age of 14 and is a self-taught artist. Woo holds a master’s degree in Curatorial Studies in Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York and London. In 2016, she won a national contest co-hosted by the Rauschenberg Foundation and was invited to the White House by Michelle Obama for the awards ceremony. Her work has been showcased in public media and exhibited at prestigious venues, including the White House Visitors Center, Sotheby’s Auction House, Montclair Art Museum, and Tysons Corner Center. Her diverse career spans roles as a camerawoman, live TV producer, State Department interpreter, and administrator at an international auction house. Woo is also an energy-balancing coach.

Woo’s recent interdisciplinary project, a paper mask sculpture photography series, merges performance art, paper art, and photography. Using techniques like Chinese paper cutting, origami, kirigami, embossing, and quilling, each mask becomes a vibrant expression of shared stories, adorned with floral motifs and personal symbols such as heavenly palaces, auspicious cloud patterns, and the hamsa hand. Worn by a professional modern dancer, the mask is paired with keyword-guided poses and movements, captured by a photographer in a studio. This process emphasizes the human touch and qualities like craftsmanship and patience, which are increasingly rare in today’s AI-driven world. Through these tactile paper sculptural masks, Woo explores themes of interconnectedness, personal narratives, and our relationship with the universe.

Can you share a bit about your background and how you began your artistic journey?

Growing up as an only child, I had plenty of freedom and time to create my own toys out of paper—puzzles, dress-up playsets, and even a 3D dollhouse complete with a channel-changing paper TV and pop-up books. I also enjoyed journaling with drawings, using colors and illustrations to express my feelings and imagination. My father, who had a great passion for art, would often help me improve my drawings by teaching me techniques to create smoother lines and enhance the impact of my work with different colors.

Although art was always my favorite subject in school, I ultimately chose to major in Journalism in college because I was told that pursuing a career as an artist was not considered practical where I grew up. Journalism provided me with another creative outlet to tell stories in a way that resonated with me, and I found that it shared many similarities with art.

After immigrating to America, I discovered that artists here not only create visually stunning work but also use their art as a platform to address important societal issues, often as activists or investigative journalists. Inspired by this, I made the decision to shift my career from multimedia journalism to become a mixed-media artist.

What keeps you inspired and motivated to create new work?

Inspiration comes from various sources for me—whether it’s a peaceful trip to nature, a morning meditation session, a visit to an art gallery or museum, scrolling through Instagram, or engaging in creative activities with my children. These moments often spark ideas for my next artistic creations.

My artistic vision blends different mediums, drawing from my background as a journalist and video producer. I incorporate elements of photography, video, and past experiences into my work. Over time, my focus has shifted toward crafting large-scale installations and public art pieces, driven by a desire to spread positivity and healing through interactive and immersive art experiences.

One of my creations, A Journey to the Heavenly Palace, was inspired by a guided meditation I participated in. During the meditation, I envisioned a magnificent palace and felt compelled to share that experience through a series of paper mask works.

How has your artistic style evolved over time?

Initially, I was very fixated on a singular style—such as traditional paper cutting—which limited both the themes and scale of my work. However, as I gained experience as a professional camerawoman, TV producer, and video editor, I began experimenting with transforming 2-dimensional paper cutting into 3-dimensional sculptures. I also started incorporating video, lighting, installation, and photography into my practice.

About two years ago, after being introduced to energy balancing, I became more aware of the stress our planet is undergoing due to human impact. To contribute to a more sustainable world, I began incorporating recycled materials and outdated electronic appliances into my work. One new project, Digital Porcelains, utilizes recycled newspaper and cardboard, adding flour and glue to create paper clay. I’ve shaped this material into human-sized vases, such as the Green and Silver Paper Clay Vase, where the snakeskin pattern is a paper-cutting design inspired by projects where artists collaborated with robots or used cutting-edge technology. For example, Anicka Yi’s In Love with the World, Sougwen Chung’s Mutations of Presences, and Nam June Paik’s Bakelite Robot, among others. Art has always been at the forefront of new concepts and activism for positive change. I believe that by integrating technology, art can help the public understand the importance of technology in our future and prepare them for its inevitability.

For my latest large-scale installation, I used paper cutting—a traditional art form that dates back about 1,700 years in China. This piece coincides with the Lunar New Year, one of the largest holidays celebrated by many countries, including China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore. I used different costumes to represent countries that celebrate this holiday. Contemporary behaviors, like selfie-taking, were also included, while robots, drones, and humans using remote controls added contemporary elements to the piece. This installation expresses the positive message that robots and humans can coexist and that robots can enhance human life.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

Creativity allows me to influence the world and spread positivity. As a dedicated energy-balancing practitioner, I firmly believe that spreading kindness to people, nature, and our planet is essential for sustaining the well-being of both mankind and the earth. Being an artist feels like a form of activism to spread these messages and make an impact.

In the next decade, I envision delving into the intersection of neuroscience, art, and energy healing. Collective trauma underpins many social issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Syrian refugee crisis, and movements like Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate. My personal experiences, including the challenges my family faced during the Covid pandemic, and my recent training as an energy balancing coach, have fueled my exploration of trauma and healing.

I am learning to work with extended realities, data collection, and brain activity analysis to create new interactive, immersive installations. Humans have the potential to reach bliss and joy through body awareness, meditation, and breath regulation. However, meditation takes practice, and not everyone can easily achieve a relaxed state. With AR/VR, I aim to give people a sneak peek into the world of bliss before they acquire the skills themselves.

Being creative also pushes me to keep learning new techniques and knowledge. I have been using artificial intelligence software to help with the designs for the patterns on my digital porcelain vases. In my new projects, I intend to experiment with 3D printing, extended realities, data science, and potentially using robots in my creative process. It keeps me up to date and allows me to continuously evolve as an artist. Creativity also has personal benefits—my children love participating in creative projects with me, and they’ve joined in on many of my home studio endeavors. My mom also participates in the creative process, helping me make paper clay from recycled newspaper and mold clay vases. She’s also assisted in creating elements for one of my paper textile projects. I enjoy bonding with my family through these creative experiences.

What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how have you overcome them?

Monetizing my art has always been a challenge. I’m currently searching for gallery representation and management to help with this aspect. In the meantime, I’ve discovered many grants, fellowships, and cash awards that provide decent financial support, as long as you’re diligent in finding and applying for them.

Another challenge has been access to technical support, particularly for projects involving data analysis and computer programming. The cost of technology and specialized equipment is high, and coding is still a foreign skill for me. Fortunately, I found a range of programs and residency opportunities that advocate for projects combining art and technology, such as NEW INC, which brings together artists, scientists, engineers, and technologists to collaborate on art projects. I’m hoping to join one of these programs to gain the resources needed for my next art-tech projects.

What advice would you give to emerging artists looking to establish themselves?

For me, setting deadlines and having interesting goals is key to staying creative. Apply to open calls and grants that interest you. By submitting to these calls and participating in group or solo exhibits with specific themes, you’ll be prompted to answer important questions about your artistic practice. These applications help you refine your bio, artist statements, and vision. They push you to understand your work better and help you identify areas for improvement.

Be prepared for rejections—they offer valuable insights. If a particular body of work is rejected, ask for feedback. Most organizations are happy to provide constructive advice, which can be seen as mentorship. Rejections help me reflect on my direction, techniques, and areas for growth.

Social media is a powerful tool for emerging artists. As I search and save grant and open call information, the platform’s algorithm sends me more relevant opportunities, motivating me to keep creating, asking questions, and improving. It’s also helped me learn how to prioritize the opportunities that are truly aligned with my interests and capabilities.

Text & photo courtesy of Voyo Woo

Website: https://www.voyowoo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voyowooart/