Exploring life and the universe through the expression of art with LotyDoty
Meet LotyDoty, a Brooklyn-based artist and creative focused on exploring the vast universe and piecing together answers for a complex world.
Meet LotyDoty, a Brooklyn-based artist and creative focused on exploring the vast universe and piecing together answers for a complex world. LotyDoty shared her initial collection in June 2022 at her first art show in New York City. Since then, she has explored collaging inspired by music, concepts of death, the universe, and everything in between. Often interpreted as chaotic, her art focuses on piecing together her answers for an open interpretation of how the universe works. In this Conversation, she shares how she got started with her art, the motifs and meanings behind her ultra-complex pieces, and how she is looking ahead.
Interviewed in October 2022
This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Introduce yourself and let the audience know a bit about you. I recently started creating collages during the [2020 Covid-19] pandemic as a therapeutic lockdown hobby. One day, I was walking my dog, Lucy, in Downtown Brooklyn and found a stack of WIRED magazines next to a bench in a park. I've done collaging before and figured it was a good opportunity to do it again, so I picked up the magazines and brought them home with me.
When I started creating collages again, I loved it—so much that I would do it every day after work. It's sort of like puzzle-making for me. As I collaged, I noticed an aesthetic similarity or continuity in becoming part of the same collection. At that time, I was working in tech and figured maybe I could put myself out there with my art and lean into that part of my life a bit more, so I decided to do an art show. I didn't have any conscious intention behind the collages other than to share what I did with people and get that experience at the time. When I look at them in retrospect, I can determine several influences that went into each piece.
But then, I got laid off [from work] three months ago [in June]. Funny, though, because it coincided with my first art show. So, in my mind, I thought, "okay, maybe I should invest in [my art] more by going full-time." I wanted to see if I could shift into a career in art.
Since then, I've been doing a couple of art shows, and I'm approaching my art more intentionally.
Could you share a bit more about your first collection? There was no intention behind that collection as I approached it more as a stream of consciousness. I tend to describe [that collection] as kind of aesthetically chaotic. I associate a lot of my influences with Surrealism. So at first glance, it will be hard to decipher what you're looking at. It's more about being contemplative.
When you look at [the artwork], there are a lot of little hidden messages. It explores what it means to combine our internal and external worlds and all the things we get stimulated with through our senses daily. And somehow, our brain processes all of that. So, the collages look like what I try to visualize what's going on in our brains at the time, almost like an imprint of what’s happening subconsciously in our minds as we try to understand the world.
I like using pictures from magazines and/or books because it sources stimuli that already exist in the world, and each person has their interpretation or bias toward the images. The pieces or parts of the pieces I put into my collages are also biased towards the things I like or appeal to me and I find the most interesting.
When I show my collages, I find the conversations I have with people the most interesting—and the differences in our experiences. I learn what resonates with people and what doesn't. So often, I notice people walk up to my artwork and just be like, "this stood out to me because of 'this,'" and it helps me see my art differently, too. I love that art can do that.
Did you have any expectations or envision that people would have interpreted your art in a particular way, or did it just kind of happen? I didn't really have any expectations. My first collection was more of a personal reflection—almost a self-portrait. It wasn't focused on my physical appearance but on the internal dialogues, I have with myself. So I was really putting myself out there, and [the way people responded] was unexpected. So now, when I create, I do so with more intention in how I craft the collages.
What influences do you incorporate into your art? There are a lot of motifs that are common throughout the artwork. I've always been fascinated by Existentialism. I studied Critical Theory and Philosophy in college. So, I'm always questioning things and looking to expand my knowledge beyond science, math, or whatever. There's so much about the universe that we just don't know about. Generally, I think of myself as a kind of space cadet sometimes. I love daydreaming about the universe and the moon. So that's why the moon [motifs] shows up a lot [in my artwork].
Skulls are another motif that comes up a lot. The term "memento mori" refers to the idea of remembering death. Like if you were to live, you could also die tomorrow. Somewhat bleak but also true! Laughing Yes, because [remembering death] makes you more conscious of your decisions and genuinely appreciate things. That's also the type of message I want to portray in my art because of what I internalize for myself.
There's something about how our brains trick us into believing something exists when we really don’t know all there is to know. My art is multi-layered and dynamic. And so, the more you look at it, the more you start to see. And your brain almost creates these cognitive illusions based on your perceptions, and you start filling in what you want to see. Sort of like the Gestalt Principles, right? In graphic design, it's often used to explain how shapes based on their proximity or absence can lead the brain to "draw conclusions" or "finish" an image. Yeah, exactly. Another way to think of it is if you see a movie one day, but it has so many intricacies that you must watch it again. When you do, you notice something you didn't notice the first time. That's how I feel about my art.
My artwork is also not perfect, especially the way I cut things. I like to think of it as the “human touch.” Maybe a euphemism for saying, “I’m messy” or “Perfection is boring.” I like this Japanese philosophy, wabi-sabi, about where there is beauty in imperfection. And I think that is what makes us human.
Human error is so unique to us when we create, but we’re always trying to strive for perfection. But by adding filters and correcting mistakes, which in the digital world is so easy to do—perhaps it’s my way of holding on to the flaws in humanity. So the more we advance in technology, it'll be interesting how we keep the human element intact as we embrace more artificial intelligence in how we create.
Another motif you'd see is how the past, present, and future can be combined in a single moment. And that time is a construct we’ve made up to give us a sense of order and control over our individual lives. There are a lot of things from our past experiences that are being brought into the present and that will ultimately shape our future. It’s important to remind ourselves of our history and not to buy into the idea that history repeats itself, but how we can leverage our past knowledge and reinvent ourselves in a new context. This idea of singularity and moving toward the metaverse seems almost inevitable at this point. So, the question is, how can we still stay connected to our humanity? I don't know how to organize it in my head, so that's why collaging is my attempt to put the pieces together and explore this question through the expression of art.
Sounds like there is a common theme of exploration and you're using collaging to procure, cut, paste, and answer questions about the universe. So I grew up Christian, but I am no longer religious. I’ve always had an open mind and have been exposed to many different religions since. I lean more towards educating myself about all perspectives in life so that I can elevate my internal knowledge and spirituality. For example, I recently read Alan Watts's book, "The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety." He talked about how there isn't just one single truth. Everyone is an “I.” We all have the ability to define what that “I” means to you. You have the choice to decide what is true to you and what you believe.
So probably the most important thing I want to accomplish in my art is having conversations with people. I want an open dialogue about what something means to one person and how it can be interpreted differently. I accept that there are multiple truths, and we invent a reality based on our thinking.
I want an open dialogue about what something means to one person and how it can be interpreted differently. I accept that there are multiple truths, and we invent a reality based on our thinking.
What's your latest project? I'm trying to take my art to the next level in terms of my craft. But also, I'm exploring different mediums to see what else inspires me. For example, when I collage on a blank canvas, I allow it to take its own shape. With the [recent] skateboard piece, I think it was received really well because it already had a shape or structure to it that resonates with people, and they don’t have to think about what they’re looking at—so I wanted to lean into that more. They can focus more on the message or effect of the art rather than the execution or craft. After all, I create abstract and conceptual art, and sometimes it's hard for people to get what I'm trying to say because there’s so much going on in one piece.
Most recently, I had an art show in Chicago, and I showed a few of my newer pieces. I wanted to explore my heritage a bit and what it might mean to represent a part of Chinese history in the artwork. I thought about things I grew up with and recalled the Chinese vases my parents used to store in the dining room behind a case for display when we had meals. As inspiration, I thought it would be cool to do a collage in the shape of a porcelain vase.
In my initial research, I quickly started to learn that there was so much more to unpack here. There are so many types of vases, and each has its history and purpose of origin in Chinese history. The shapes and motifs on the porcelain itself can symbolize many different things. I wanted to find a shape that resonated with me and finally stumbled on these moon vases made in the 1400s sitting in the British Museum right now. I liked the idea of the round shape and what that represents, “to embrace the moon,” which ties back to my motto to “let light glow in the dark” and bring the subconscious into the foreground.
I outlined the vase's shape; then, I used black and white spray paint to give it a moon-like texture for the base of the collage. Next, I started to collage within the shape. Serendipitously, I found this history book while I was walking my dog, and it had all these facts about Chinese porcelain in there. I thought to myself, “I have to use these artifacts.” Pun intended 🤓 Like actual pages from the textbook? Yes, and so, there's the shape of the moon vase but also tidbits about Chinese porcelain and the history of China as well.
Specifically, during the Opium War between the British and China, opium was used to control China. And within that, Chinese porcelain was a hot commodity during that time. So I think there's something about utilizing art to reference important things about our history, and doing it through art is important and kind of meta as well.
So I think there's something about utilizing art to reference important things about our history, and doing it through art is important and kind of meta as well.
And, of course, I also combine the moon theme because I have a tendency to overcomplicate things. I found a magazine about the moon landing as well around the same time, so there are also pictures of astronauts in the piece. The moon landing itself could also be controversial when you think about the race to the moon. I don’t know too much about the history of it myself, but I think it’s interesting to reference it and see what comes up in people’s minds.
Overall, there are lots of layers to each of the pieces I make, and I really want people to stop and think about it.
Why is the work you're doing important to you? Why are you approaching your art the way you're doing it? I grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s. And it seems that there were many more genuine conversations and connections before social media. Like face-to-face human conversations or something else? Yes, exactly. I think now it's very ephemeral [with social media]. I just want people to have more meaningful conversations and connections with other people. Perhaps it’s also a way of saying, let’s go beyond the surface and explore the deeper parts of the connections we make on the day-to-day.
I just want people to have more meaningful conversations and connections with other people.
Are there any misconceptions people have about your work or the art industry that you want to dispel? The art world is completely new to me since I used to be in [the] tech [industry] forever. Since I'm just starting, I think it's important to go through the motions and to continue exploring who I am as an artist.
The only misconception I can think of is that my art feels very different. I don't want to say my art is "unique." It's a different approach where art is often easily digestible in a more traditional sense. Your art usually has a layered meaning that takes a little more time to appreciate.
Perhaps what's also more unique about your art is how you source and salvage it from the streets of New York City. Something that might be trash becomes art through reuse and recycling. Not every artist approaches creation in the same way. Right. Upcycling, which is currently a trend—though I hope it continues. I love the idea of repurposing found objects and making them interesting and renewed in some way. There's a lot of harm we're doing to the earth right now, so we all need to do our part—why not just make art with it?
There's a lot of harm we're doing to the earth right now, so we all need to do our part—why not just make art with it?
Switching gears, what advice would you give to yourself, the one who first started doing art not too long ago? In retrospect, I've done some reflection now. This may sound obvious or cliché, but "think bigger."
I've always been very self-aware to the point of being too self-conscious, where I feel like the things that I do aren't significant enough.
But I think once you have the intent, “this is what you want to do,” you really should expand how you're thinking about it and go beyond yourself. And, in a way, get over yourself and ask, "what can you actually do if you weren’t afraid to succeed?" And "what impact do you want to make?" and then just go for it.
I've met people in the art world who have been doing it for a long time. Some of the common feedback I keep getting, again and again, is that it'd be really cool if I had a larger piece [of art]. There's this quote, though I forget who said it, that goes, "Look closely because sometimes the thing that is beautiful is small." I believe there is a lot of beauty in smaller things. People always seem to want more and bigger; it's very capitalist and sort of an American way of looking at things.
If you want to reach a broader audience, maybe it's not so much the physical size of the artwork but the message you want to say—and have it be very clear. Maybe not even just clear, but think about whether it’s important enough to bring and if it can touch a lot of different people. If I can realize what that looks like, the sky's the limit, right?
If you want to reach a broader audience, maybe it's not so much the physical size of the artwork but the message you want to say—and have it be very clear. Maybe not even just clear, but think about whether it’s important enough to bring and if it can touch a lot of different people. If I can realize what that looks like, the sky's the limit, right?
So that's what I would tell my past self, to "think bigger (but not in the physical sense, instead in an impactful way)."
Give us a list of the top 3 things, and you decide on the topic.
I'm starting to get more in tune with my spiritual side and have more alignment with my body, mind, and spirit. I'm not an expert in this, but I go down a lot of Youtube rabbit holes to learn more about aligning your chakras with crystals.
I love crystals because they’re extremely gorgeous and fascinating to look at. There's also a lot of ancient knowledge, i.e., alchemy, around the benefits of crystals. Crystals hold a lot of energy. And who knows, maybe it's just a rock, but personally, when I hold a crystal, I can feel the energy. If you're interested, there's a store called "Namaste" in Union Square [in Manhattan] to explore more. There are actually a ton of metaphysical stores throughout the city and in Brooklyn.
Here are the top 3 crystals I would recommend for beginners to explore:
Shungite. It's usually in a pyramid shape and meant to block electromagnetic energy. Since we're surrounded by [digital] devices a lot, shungite is a good crystal to offset all of that.
Jade. It's very big in Chinese culture, and often, people wear it as bracelets, beaded jewelry, and necklaces. It brings auspicious energy.
Flourite: It focuses on transferring negative to positive energy and helping achieve balance. I was in a very negative state of mind for the first half of my life. Now, my brain has shifted more towards the positive.
By the way, you can learn so much more about crystals at the Hall of Gems, Natural History Museum in Manhattan.
What song do you currently have on repeat?
A lot of my art is influenced by music as well. My first collection was based on creating album covers for my music. I make experimental electronic music. The skateboard collage I created references Bruce Lee. So I'd like to share a song I created called "Be like water."
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LotyDoty is also passionate about giving back to Skateistan.
Skateistan empowers children through skateboarding and education. LotyDoty recently started learning how to skate and believes in the great community skateboarding offers. As part of this Conversation, a donation was made to Skateistan.
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