Kayla Santos

Mixed Media in Hong Kong

Kayla Santos is a Filipino multimedia artist born and raised in Hong Kong (b. 2000). Her debut solo exhibition, "pure heritage,” delves into the superficial representation of cultural identity and detachment from a single heritage background. From then on, her work is continually whimsical yet astute, delving into seemingly absurd motifs and unravelling their associations with cultural identity and human behaviour. Santos is heavily inspired by her career in teaching art to children; she often draws inspiration from the absent-minded, colourful qualities their art often possesses. Her work combines symbolic visuals with family photographs, painted in muted hues. Sometimes incorporating a cartoonish style that alludes to the artist’s fascination with detachment and cultural escapism.