Over the next few weeks, SVA will be highlighting some of the many outstanding projects by its 2019 Alumni Scholarship Award winners. Next up is student Mojo Wang (MFA 2019 Illustration as Visual Essay) on his project Late Bloomer and Other Stories, which explores the challenges faced by gay minorities in the U.S.

Tell us about your project. What inspired the idea?
Late Bloomer and Other Stories is a collection of short queer comic stories. In this ongoing semi-autobiographical book project, I reveal my journey when it comes to queer identity, sex and coming to age as a Chinese gay man in my early 20s.
I walked into the early stage of adulthood recklessly and carelessly, in a way that may be defined as irresponsible, when now I look back those years of "figuring it out," in which the shiniest and darkest moments walked hand in hand. After days and nights spent in laughter and tears, I thought, "Why I don't I put those memories to some good use?" Then here comes this project.

What most surprised you once you started working on the project?
It's not easy to be completely honest with myself without passing judgments when writing and laying the groundwork for this project. It can be challenging to find the proper balance between the intellectual side and the sentimental side of me as a young artist, and also it is exhausting and emotionally draining to put down the barrier I tend to have between me and my works.

"There is no better time to break who you are into pieces, and then reassemble them into who you are capable of being."

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