Danielle Lin
(b. 2001, Ipoh) Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Danielle is an artist and curator whose works have been exhibited in various art galleries and festivals both locally and internationally. In February 2023, she founded Danielle Lin Art, a multi-functional studio space in GMBB, Bukit Bintang where she paints for upcoming exhibitions. She is the curator for "The Palette Project" in GMBB KL, on view 8 February through 9 March. Her current group exhibition, "Growing Together, Not Too Soon," is on view in TemuHouse through 6 April (weekends only).
The Palette Project, 2025
The Age of (Un)Innocence, 2024
My stuff looks like this!
Garden Encounter (2024)
Eggshell Sunset (2024)
Her Daughter (2024)
Lunch (2024)
Self Portrait in the Woods (2024)
The Burial (2024)
The Bathtub (2024)
Where you'll see me
Just a little hint at what's to come!
Where you saw me
Do you think something about my art or my face looks familiar? Take a look at where I've been and see if something rings a bell!
If you like reading...
... you'll learn the answers to my most frequently asked questions!
1. Why do you paint broken toys and human organs?
In my eyes, toys - especially soft toys - are a symbol of comfort and innocence. Everyone has had a toy that they played with as a child. My paintings aim to simulate feelings of loneliness and nostalgia for a home that no longer exists. As for the human organs, I like to play on the idea of life. Children may argue that their teddy bears are alive. What is it that makes something alive? A beating heart, or what we project onto things that don't even have the capability to love us back?2. Why do you use these colours?
My paintings tend to feature one main colour and a few supporting colours, which are typically brown and blue. I prefer the subdued look over bright, saturated hues. Colours are very important in evoking emotion, and I can spend days figuring out exactly what shades to use for a particular painting. The wrong colour can throw me off and affect how I feel about the piece.3. What is the story behind this or that painting?
I don't particularly tell stories in the way that there is a plot and a main character, but I do have overarching themes that turn my singular paintings into a cohesive body of work. The thing about surrealism is that the artist may not even be conscious of the exact reason why this scene was created in their mind. I am more focused on creating a visual mood that evokes different emotions in the viewers, and letting their imaginations do the rest.4. How do you get your inspiration?
Salvador Dali and Mark Ryden are my all-time favourite artists in terms of composition and style. As for me, I have a strong connection to my toy bear, and I make it a point to include her in my paintings. My creative process starts with daydreaming, though sometimes an image can appear in my mind unprompted. Sometimes, when I experience extreme sadness or heartbreak, I find it therapeutic to translate those emotions into visual images. I then quickly sketch out the basic shapes and ideas on my phone to be fleshed out on paper at my earliest convenience. From then on, it's just a matter of which idea gets to be painted on canvas first, depending on what I think is suitable for the exhibition or event.