Meet Jialun Tong | Visual artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jialun Tong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jialun, why did you pursue a creative career?
I grew up surrounded by art since I was young. Secondly, driven by inner passion, as I walk this path, I’ve discovered that art is universal. It transcends ethnicity and language, connecting the hearts of people. The rise of AI seems to pose a significant threat to art, but I believe it actually directs more attention to the core of artistry—emotional connection.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My works has been nominated for many awards, and was selected for the Best of SUNY in 2022-2023. This year, I was nominated for Yale, but unfortunately, I wasn’t selected. Upon receiving the email, I was struggled but immediately threw myself into my works. A friend said that although the painting wasn’t finished, she was deeply moved by it. Another piece, although beautifully done, seemed to lack the ability to touch me. I once thought that as a top student, my artistic journey would be smooth sailing. But in reality, it’s not just an artistic journey; it’s also a journey of life. Along the way, there will be many obstacles and setbacks that can instantly shatter your confidence. Being rejected is a wake-up call, reminding me to adjust my mindset in order to embrace more opportunities. I’m not inherently optimistic, but I believe I have the ability and mindset to turn negativity into positivity. This is a luxury and something that can accompany you throughout your life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hopefully, my good friend isn’t visiting New York City for the first time, so I don’t have to take them to Times Square or the Empire State Building. Instead, I’d choose to avoid popular tourist spots because the best proof of having been somewhere isn’t just visiting but understanding the culture there. During the day, we’d go to MoMA or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then spend the afternoon chatting in Central Park. MoMA also has a small park inside, but understanding contemporary art requires some background knowledge, so it’s really worth spending a day in the museum if you’re interested. The next day, we’d have brunch in Soho, and with sunglasses on, you can observe people’s various fashion choices on the streets. Every season’s attire can be seen, and it’s like a fashion show here. In the evening, we’d go back to Brooklyn’s DUMBO area, where we can enjoy the breeze by the river and admire the night view of Manhattan from across the river. We could even walk back to the city from the Brooklyn Bridge. When in Williamsburg, a community of artists, I like to look for vintage clothing. If you enjoy visiting galleries, don’t miss Chelsea, where the entire area is filled with galleries, and you can walk all the way to the bars in Greenwich Village where the Stonewall riots began. You can always take a break on the High Line above. Most of my plan follows the New Yorker’s ‘escape from New York’ plan, have moments of leisure in this bustling city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My father brought me from China to the United States, while she brought me from the United States into America. We met at our previous company – a Mandarin broadcasting company. She is a musician and writer – Xiren Wang. She helped me understand who I am, and her ‘over-interpretation’ of my work led me to explore and understand myself in a whole new way. Through her Western perspective and her own experiences, she made me realize that my work goes beyond visual language, encompassing different feelings and depths. She also taught me how to integrate pain into my works; my experiences became the best material. This had a significant impact on my emotional expression in my later works, and enabled me to balance life and creativity, facing challenges more bravely.

Website: https://Jialuntong.com

Instagram: tongjialun0518

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jialun-tong-2b0434275/

Image Credits
1-2work processing photo by Amy Xie
3 photo by Xuefen Chen
4 Blue exhibited at H. Carl McCall SUNY Building, Albany, NY
5 Green exhibited at Rockefeller Institute of Government, Albany, NY
6 With fine arts professor Joel Werring in Fashion Institute of Technology, photo by Ching Yee Lam
7 photo by Sasha Udvornocky
8 With film director Robbie Bryan, photo by Abigail Russell