With Homebody, Ping Hatta brings bold works that play within comfort and bodies at leisure. The domestic settings of the paintings—a couch, beach, or luscious plants—are done in warm, soft neutrals that contrast with the bold silhouettes and large flat bodies. For Ping, a woman can be both soft and strong where she can command a space as effortlessly as she can blend into her surroundings. These two dichotomies of strength and softness can coexist harmoniously. It is the artist’s wish that all women/womxn to be able to see their beauty and strength mirrored in these pieces.
Homebody is a continuation of my artistic journey in trying to find my authenticity through different phases of my life. Through years of working in the fashion industry, specifically lingerie, I felt that my past works and my approach in creating art no longer resonate with my personal values. Women have been and are still sexualized a majority of their lives starting at a very young age and I no longer want to contribute to the normalization of that culture. For me, the scale and purposely off-proportions of the figures removes the impulse to sexualize female form and instead brings out a sense of comfort and a touch of humor. I paint large figures because I think they look beautiful and strong, emphasizing the strength in the shoulders. There is something playful and visually beautiful about these proportions and silhouettes to me.
“This series is also a continuation of a journey of finding my space as an Asian woman in this world. Like many Asian/AAPI womxn out there, I experience nuances of racism throughout my life, sometimes shockingly in my home-country. These personal feelings are being channeled onto Homebody. It is important to me that the subjects I paint emanate a sense of comfort even if they occupy the whole painting. Occupying space feels empowering and delightful to me, particularly in spaces that were not designed for me to be in.”