Artist Series: Meet Taryn Lock
Taryn Lock is an artist living in Cape Town. She is a self-taught Children's Book Illustrator and Photographer.
Taryn will be one of the artists featured in the ORIENTation: The diaspora of East Asian identities in South Africa exhibition taking place in Johannesburg later this year.
Read more about why Taryn, when and why she became an artist and what inspires her.
"As South African artists who are of East Asian descent, it is important for us to speak up, through our art, about the challenges and the harsh racism that we face." ~ Taryn Lock
Where were you born? Where do you live now?
I was born in Johannesburg. I currently live in Cape Town.
When did you become an artist? What is your speciality?
I used to do art as a subject in Standard 6 and 7 but thereafter I didn’t really spend much time on art. While on sabbatical in Boston in 2012, I decided to explore my creativity by painting and doing illustrations for a children’s book – this re-ignited my love for art.
In 2016, while living in Oxford, my husband bought me a DSL camera and I fell in love with photography. I specialise in black and white art using photography and digital art to capture moments, evoke feelings and challenge thinking.
I find that in black and white we are not distracted by colour and can appreciate the textures, contrasts and raw beauty of a picture more.
What art training/studying did you have or were you self-taught?
I am self-taught – I read articles and watch videos on Youtube to get ideas and learn various art techniques.
Why did you become an artist?
My husband always says that ‘we are most alive when we are creating’. I do feel alive when I am being creative. Art is a great way to express oneself and to convey messages. I do illustrations for children’s books so that the stories are more powerful. I take photos and create digital art to capture unique moments to make people reflect and challenge their thinking.
What inspires you as an artist? Are there any artists that you admire?
I am inspired by moments of beauty, sadness, anger and hope. I admire Ansel Adams who used his black and white photography to promote his advocacy for environmental conservation. I admire Willem Boshoff a contemporary word artist who plays with letters and meaning.
Please tell us about your art, for the upcoming exhibition? What do you hope to achieve through your artwork?
My work will look at how Asians are perceived in society, the hurtful stereotypes, how Asians feel about the racism and hate speech and how South African Asians struggle with their own identity in the rainbow nation.
Through my art, I hope that it will give people a sense of what Asians are feeling and experiencing.
Why do you think that this exhibition is so important?
This exhibition is so important for Chinese and Asians around the world who are facing discrimination. As South African artists who are of East Asian descent, it is important for us to speak up, through our art, about the challenges and the harsh racism that we face. There has been so much hate speech against the Chinese, with the Carte Blanch donkey trade episode in 2017 and with the coronavirus in 2020. Chinese in South Africa also struggle with feeling that they do not belong - even though we are citizens and feel South African because of our looks we are treated like foreigners. This exhibition will put a spotlight on what Asians experience and how they feel living in South Africa.
What advice would you give to young aspiring artists in South Africa?
Take time to be creative. Create from your heart and share that gift with others.
Want to contact Taryn?
Website: https://www.tarynlock.com/
Twitter: @TarynLock
Instagram: @TarynLock
