Joy Zhao
Born in China and raised between cultural paradigms, I create work that exists in the tension between inheritance and reinvention. Drawing from the visual language of childhood media and devotional imagery, I place these influences in dialogue with contemporary Western fashion, film, and digital culture to examine how identity is constructed through social architectures.
Working across photography, film, and writing, I use each medium to test the limits of subjectivity. I am drawn to controlled, polished surfaces that conceal psychological rupture beneath them. My practice explores the body as a site of inscription.
As a student of Film and Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, I am developing a visual language that merges cinematic storytelling with fashion sensibility.
Me & the color Red.
Red has been an anchor in my creative mind.
Spanning from my earliest works to the most recent. Its multifaceted nature is what draws me in; it exists as a paradox. Red is undeniably tied to love, passion, and the very essence of femininity—qualities that speak to my identity and exploration of self. Yet, red also represents danger, urgency, and a rawness that challenges comfort. These dualities coexist in my work, a silent communicator of complex emotions.
Red’s significance in my cultural identity can’t be overstated. It’s the color of China’s flag, a symbol of my heritage, my upbringing, and a tie to the traditions that shape who I am today. With this project, I aim to weave these layers of red into a narrative that spans love, fear, empowerment, and cultural pride. The three series of photographs are meant to reflect these dimensions, giving the viewer a glimpse into the powerful emotional spectrum that red has always evoked for me.