Artist Interview: Keer Zhao

Keer Zhao (赵珂尔) is a New York-based multimedia artist from China. Feeling restricted by the physical limitations of traditional film and photography, the artist started creating 3D worlds to further express her emotions and thoughts about life.

She uses abstract visual languages to create art that’s vague yet expressive, and personal yet universal. Her spontaneous creative process spans across various art forms including digital art, XR, photography, and film, exploring the boundary between different mediums to express the complexities of herself.

We asked Keer about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

*3D Digital Art by Keer Zhao, still from animation*

Can you tell us about your background as a digital artist? How did you get started in this field?

Two years ago, I knew nothing about digital art. At that time, I was majoring in film production and photography. I was very attracted to digital art because, as a tool or medium, I could use it to create something that’s closer to the feeling I wanted to express without the need for a production crew, photo studio, or models.

Many times, while writing a script, contemplating a story or character, or imagining a photo I wanted to shoot with a model in the studio, I had to communicate explicit instructions to the director of photography or my models about the direction and the exact feeling I wanted to convey through videos and still images. However, sometimes, I felt that this communication wasn't successful. The origin of the creation felt chaotic, with many tentacles reaching out. Once I defined it with concrete words, this 'creature' suddenly shrank into a smooth ball, losing its essence. I refrained from giving strict direction or reason to my artwork. I believe art should evolve naturally.

I think I was attracted to digital art and started pursuing it mainly because of the possibilities and potential it offered. Unlike traditional filmmaking and photography, it felt more like an in-house production—just me and my computer. Creating digital art became a collaborative process. Each creative process felt like a conversation with my computer and the software within it. The positive aspect was that the computer didn't need a concrete direction. All I needed to do was take that 'creature' with me and try different approaches, allowing for trial and error. As long as all the elements stemmed from the same source, every creation I made remained internally linked.

In summary, visuals became my language for expressing feelings I couldn't articulate with words, memories that remained vague, and emotions that were difficult to capture. Using digital tools was a comfortable way for me to communicate through this visual language — a more hands-on tool.

What does your creative process look like? How do you approach brainstorming and conceptualizing ideas?

Spontaneity is crucial to my creative process. I see myself as a receptor to the world; every incident, person, event, or even the crushed, broken flower on the ground can affect this receptor. As a result, it vibrates and produces something—a line of sentences, or sometimes a blurry image in my head. Every creation I make is a response to the world. This is why I mentioned the 'creature' with tentacles. Initially, I might have no idea why this receptor is producing certain images in my head. The only thing I can do is make a quick sketch in my notebook, then reproduce it with as much detail as I can recall or imagine using 3D software, reflecting back on it as if I never made it. This process allows me to better understand the 'mechanism' of this receptor and the reasons or goals behind each creation.

Your artwork often features fairies and avatars — can you share more about the inspiration behind these fantastical elements? What significance do these magical beings hold for you personally?

I haven't pinpointed a definitive reason why I constantly create avatars. It remains an intuitive process for me. However, I believe I can trace it back to my time as a photographer when I frequently worked with models and flash photography. Back then, I enjoyed working with real people because many times those blurry images involved a person or a face in the picture. Interestingly, quite often, I found myself being the person in those images.

I think this habit persists because whenever an idea sparks in my head, I visualize myself as the model appearing in that picture. Once, while reflecting on one of the avatars I created, I considered that perhaps this act is a means of escapism—a way to use imagination to divert from something.

Do you have a favorite piece? What makes it special to you?

My favorite piece is definitely my animated short film, The Deluge Within. I believe it's the first time I merged my experience in filmmaking, photography, and 3D skills. It felt like having an entire film crew in my computer, where every role — director, producer, director of photography — was me.

The Deluge Within was crafted from mental images accumulated over a year. I recorded these sparks on paper and laid them out, piecing scenes together to transform them into 3D. Surprisingly, these mental images were created at different times and places. However, when each scene was recreated, they naturally aligned to form a coherent storyline. This experience is unique as I created it purely on intuition. It was like assembling small puzzle pieces, focusing on each one individually, yet when I zoomed out, the puzzle was beautifully complete. Reflecting back on it, I've gradually understood the intentions behind these puzzle blocks, but I may never grasp their 'true' intentions, perhaps because such intentions never truly existed.

*3D Digital Art by Keer Zhao, still from The Deluge Within*

Another aspect that makes this project unique for me is that the avatar in this film is based on my real 3D scan. Though the face was slightly altered, it helped me overcome the frustration I faced as a photographer when I couldn't be behind the camera while being photographed.

Overall, this piece is important to me as it feels like a distillation of a part of myself. What's even more intriguing is that once this creation is finished, it no longer solely belongs to me. I transform from an author into a viewer; my attachment to it becomes purely personal, and regardless of my perspective, it holds its own significance. It's free the moment it's created.

How do you stay inspired and motivated as a digital artist? Are there any specific techniques or practices you use to overcome creative blocks?

I strive to see more, learn more, and create more. However, I often find myself frustrated when I couldn't replicate the perfect image in my mind. This frustration often led to disappointment. Over time, I came to realize that the images I conceive mentally can never be recreated 100%. Perhaps the key is simply to keep creating—listening to intuition and acknowledging the path it leads me on is crucial.