What Is Unknown Category?
An accurate description of my work as well as my own identity.
At its core Unknown Category represents freedom and self exploration through various forms of media. Over the years I’ve grown an appreciation for the “other.” The unknown, uncontainable presence that we as queer folks have inherently within us. I originally thought of the name Unknown Category while feeling frustrated with the pressure I felt to stick to one medium, style, or niche.
I had no idea who I was as an individual for a long time until I discovered drag in its entirety which further opened my eyes to the limitless unrestricted bounds of creative self expression. My work reflects this as an amalgamation of anime, drag, horror and all things creative media. These somewhat unconventional themes help me not only see how vibrant this world can be but how much more expressive we’re all capable of being. My art fosters a deeper understanding within myself about what it means to be uninhibited by imaginary restrictions.
The work I do generates questions about societal norms and breaks stereotypes in everyday life. This has helped me gain confidence and connect with more like minded individuals with similar values and goals. Eventually I’d like to see a world where we’re all able to free our minds and be unapologetically us because only then will we be able to heal as one. However I understand that’s a forever WIP so for now I’ll dream in the 2D world.
The Artist
UC
My work has more or less revolved around the human figure for as long as I can remember. Growing up on various Western and Japanese cartoons, I became fascinated with the human figure and all the different characteristics that make a person who they are. Clothes, accessories, body language, emotions…all key elements to creating unique character designs. It seems pretty simple to do but humans are beautifully complex creatures and every detail matters when it comes to making a character not only unique but three dimensional. With that being said, I’d like to create a world with my own characters brought to life that people can connect with on a personal level like I did growing up. But there’s a slight difference between creating a single character and creating an entire world so let’s just call that a long term goal. However throughout the recent years I discovered a love for posters, album/single covers, music, fashion and printmaking which has opened new doors for me. I’m curious how these different paths will lead to my long term goal but excited nonetheless. While I explore these different interests, I plan to continue this new path of self expression through portraiture.
