Olivia Cheng; “Void is Absence”
- Escribe Maria
- Apr 20, 2023
- 1 min read
Artist Feature: Olivia Cheng / Art / Class of 2025
By Madison Alexander
Olivia Cheng, a sophomore at St. Mary's Academy, has won a Silver Key and two Honorable Mentions in the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. She names "the idea of transcendence" as her main inspiration, adding that she also strives to capture the universal importance of human companionship. The idea of serving as one part of a greater whole is a key influence in Cheng's art, and she stresses the crucial nature of working in community with other like-minded people to create positive change in the world.
Cheng notes that art originated as a way to communicate feelings unable to be expressed with words, which she focuses on communicating through her own work. With that goal in mind, she shares that she finds it extremely fulfilling to successfully interpret complex concepts and emotions from a unique angle.
"Void Is Absence," a self-portrait, explores the duality of both personal identity and artistic expression. The space motifs evoke an ethereal feeling, reminding the viewer of the expansive idea of a greater force. Cheng explains that though it was initially part of an original comic she created, she ended up isolating this one image, which possesses deep power as a stand-alone piece. "Void Is Absence" was featured in the 2021-2022 issue of Escribe Maria.
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