Heritage Series 07: Katty Han

Written by Lauren Bryant

Introducing Katty Han, an Indonesian-born, Tasmania-raised visual artist whose paintings explore her dual identity and “existence between two worlds”. Katty talks reimagining Indonesian culture through a modern lens, and making space for POC artists in the growing Meanjin art scene.  

Can you tell us about your background and how this ties into your creativity?

Something I’ve been reflecting on recently is my relationship to faith and the religious imagery that makes it way, consciously or unconsciously, into my work. I grew up with a Catholic Father and Muslim Mother, so if I wanted to come to church on Sunday, I did, and if I wanted to try fasting during Ramadan, I gave it a go. I think this genuine curiosity I have surrounding religion is a huge part of who I am and what I create. I also think being bi-racial and existing in the space between two worlds has allowed me to have a unique and diverse outlook on a lot of aspects of my life. 

How do you think existing between those two worlds shows up in your work? 

Growing up in Tasmania, the lack of cultural diversity made me want to assimilate to Western culture and ‘fit in’. I felt my differences were something to be ashamed of rather than something to celebrate and share. 

This shows up in my art through the use of traditional Indonesian symbols and imagery reinterpreted in a modern context. It’s like the old and the new are woven together in one big tapestry. 

So, it’s a reimagining? 

Definitely. It’s interesting taking these ideas and concepts from my culture, that I’ve learnt from my Mother, experienced on a visit to Indonesia as a child, or even just read about and interpreted through the lens of a 20 something year old growing up in Australia. Nothing about it is traditional anymore because I’ve found a way to make it anecdotal, applying certain symbols or motifs to my own personal story.

How do you see that relating to those of your paintings that explore themes of femininity, sisterhood, and beauty, like The Divine Feminine or Funeral For a Lorikeet?

I often wonder whether or not I’m doing the right thing by using these (sometimes) very sacred symbols in such cheeky ways. It’s like walking the line between respecting tradition but wanting to express my views as a modern, sexually-liberated woman. 

I never fit into the category of what was typically ‘beautiful’ when I was growing up—blonde, blue eyed, fair skin. Using Indonesian imagery to create these sexy, mythical, goddess-like creatures is what makes me feel powerful. It’s a type of beauty that runs so much deeper than physical attributes. I describe it as a reconnecting to ancestral power and female magik. 

You also seem to have found your place in the Meanjin art scene. What’s being part of the community like?

Community comes naturally in Meanjin to be honest! Something the community does very well is collaboration. It’s so important for POC artists to platform other POC artists, incorporating as many disciplines as possible to showcase all the talent that exists. 

On a personal level, I connect to community by being honest in what I create. The didactics next to my pieces are raw and written from the heart. People can’t connect with what you create if you aren’t putting every part of your soul into it—the beautiful and the ugly. 

Discover more from our Arts & Culture section here.