Oil on canvas

16 x 13 x 2

In a world where division often overshadows unity, my oil portraits, "The Future is Fusion" seek to portray a hopeful future where unity and coexistence prevail. Each portrait captures the essence of young people from multi-racial and multi-ethnic backgrounds, highlighting the rich tapestry of their diverse ancestries.

"The Future is Fusion: Julian" portrays a young man whose ancestral heritage spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. His very existence is a testament to the interconnectedness of our world. Having a multi-ethnic identity can also serve as a symbolic and actual antidote to the intense tribalism that often divides our country and world through forced dualism including black or white, jew or gentile, documented or undocumented, native-born or immigrant, etc. The dawn light in the backdrop of the painting suggests the hopeful promise of a new day.

Through my portraits, I hope to convey that we cannot continue to compartmentalize people based on skin color, ethnic origins, nationality, race, etc. My hopes for our future rest in adopting the cosmopolitan attitudes of inclusivity and open-minded acceptance; and what better represents the hopeful future of our unity and connection to one another than looking into the eyes of our multi-ethnic youth?

Eugenie Hsu began drawing and painting in 2022 after taking a beginning drawing class. Discovering art has sharpened her visual observations, revealing intrigue in her everyday surroundings. As a newbie, she was thrilled to have had one of her early paintings accepted into the 2023 deYoung Open. To those who claim they can’t paint, she asks, “how do you know what you can or cannot do until you try?”