10 Questions with Song Rao

Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE11 | Featured Artist

Song Rao is a Chinese visual artist living in Brooklyn, New York. He works in different art forms, including photography, installations, illustrations, and short videos. In addition, Rao is a stage actor who has participated in more than 100 international performances and is a member of the Santouqi troupe.

Like most Chinese families, Rao was an only child and lived under strict house rules until he was 18. At the beginning of his artistic career, his family did not support him, preferring him as an office worker. However, Rao enjoys acting and living in different characters that express his presence. In 2017, he moved from Beijing to New York City and began documenting his daily life on his iPhone and editing it into a storytelling photo show.

rao.host | @raohost

ARTIST STATEMENT

Song Rao, who uses composition and graphics to clone multiple selves, captured humorous scenes that also express profound meaning, social injustice, racism, queerness, and more from his life in NYC. His photos each show a different pose and meticulous expression.

***NOT ME 2021***, digital photography, 16x20 in, 2021 © Song Rao

INTERVIEW

First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. Who is Song Rao?

Hi, my name is Song Rao, AKA Raohost. I am from Beijing, China and have lived in Brooklyn, NY, for about seven years. I am a stage actor and visual artist. I do performances, photography, and installations. I have a master's degree in sustainability, so my profession is focused on the topic of resilient cities. I read a lot of climate reports, and I feel that creating art is a reflection of how I really feel about being alive. I also love meeting new people, always humble and enthusiastic.

You were born and raised in China but moved to New York in 2017. What inspired you to make such a move, and why did you choose New York specifically?

I moved out of Beijing at the age of 30th, which was my wish for my 22nd birthday the year after graduating from college. No doubt I love Beijing, but I don't think I have to spend my whole life in one place. I am Chinese and also a global citizen. I need to jump out of my box to see what's going on outside. New York City is a very tolerant and diverse place for me, full of possibilities. I think it's a great place to explore and learn new things.

***NOT ME 2020***, digital photography, 16x20 in, 2020 © Song Rao

How did this experience shape the person you are today? Does it influence your work?

Living in New York is a privilege to me that has opened my mind to a higher level. It is giving me new perspectives on globalization as an individual who just came from China. I met so many people with different languages, skin colors, and cultural backgrounds, everything is so different! Luckily, this city connects us together, and that's so freaking cool. I began to learn how to accept, respect, and appreciate the differences in the human form, both mentally and physically. This experience keeps providing me with the motivation to make artwork.

You are a multidisciplinary artist, you work with photography and installations, but you are also a performer. What are the common traits that link these different practices?

The goal is to tell a story. I believe the art form is fluid and should be based on the theme. I only do what I love or am good at. I studied theater directing at school but never learned painting or photography. However, I take advantage of what I'm good at in a new field. For example, my process for making photography is the same way I do theater directing and acting. First, I build the character and the given environment. Second, I needed to design props, settings, and styling. Then I do the acting in photography; it's about gesture, personality, and interaction. The final part is photo editing. The most important thing, of course, is research, and whatever the project is, research happens before everything starts.

Do you have themes or concepts that you develop over the different mediums you work with? Or do you tackle different themes with different mediums?

In general, all my work revolves around the theme of sustainable development, exploring the interplay between human activity and nature. I watch global news every morning, so intergovernmental relations are also a topic of interest to me. I believe it permeates my artwork subtly.

In your photographs, you use your body as the main focus and repeat it almost obsessively in different settings and costumes. What message would you like the viewers to read in your works?

I feel like the planet we live on is massively huge, and each of us is so tiny, too tiny to count. Although each of us is a different individual, we are all the same macroscopically. Just like we look at ants, there is no difference between them. I hope we, as one of the earth's species, can live in harmony without any forms of discrimination and violence.
I use my body as a creative tool because it's the easiest way to do my work. I don't have to explain everything to an actor because not everything can be expressed verbally.

And what importance do these costumes and settings have for the final result? How do you choose where to take your photos and how to dress up for each series?

I love fashion, and I think fashion is the culture that represents the present. I hope my work gets that sort of vibe. I choose my costumes and settings very carefully, and sometimes I make accessories by myself.
The choice of a scene is based on the story. Some of my photos I took on-site, and some were composited in photoshop. I usually go out with my tripod. If I see an interesting space, I take a picture and save it for possible projects in the future.

Let's talk about your installations. How did you start experimenting with this medium? And is there any other medium you would like to incorporate into your practice?

Thanks to my proactive collection of used face masks, I got the opportunity to experiment with installation art, although I had no experience with it at school. From 2020 to 2021, I collected all my used face masks during the covid-19 pandemic, totaling around 800 used masks. I did this because I was very concerned about the environmental impact, seeing tons of discarding masks in the streets and rivers. That made me very sad. The final installation was very meaningful to me. I covered the Manhattan Borough President's Office entrance in NYC Manhattan downtown municipal building with my used mask. Moreover, it was part of a group exhibition called Welcome Back organized by Maggie Peyton Gallery.
I've been really into digital art lately and have been chatting a lot with my friends who are working on it. I know some artists use coding or programming methods to interpret data and create an interactive experience for the audience. It's cool for me, and I hope I can bring new technology into my work.

Let's talk about your future projects; what are you working on now? Do you have any upcoming shows or publications?

I recently finished some new images that are part of my ongoing photo series, NOT ME. In the photo, I talk about my feelings about gun control, the world war, and digital scams. Also, in September 2022, I will be participating in a group show called Renew Reduce Recycle at the IESA gallery in Paris. I will present two projects in the exhibition, discussing solid waste management and sustainability in urban spaces.

And lastly, where do you see yourself and your art 5 years from now?

I will continue to do what I am doing now. I am passionate about understanding what is going on in today's social systems. I will continue to document our lives in my own way. Hope to inspire people and do good.

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