Nikki Pham (Hoang Nhi Pham)

BA (Hons) Illustration

Nikki Pham (Hoang Nhi Pham)

What makes us uniquely human?

From biological definitions, we’re made up of 46 chromosomes, approximately 37.2 trillion cells and a unique mix of brain chemicals that make us feel emotions. From many people’s spiritual and personal point of view, one common theme constantly re-emerges: our power to ‘materialise the invisible’ (Erwin McManus, 2015), or in other words, to make our imagination reality. Using a series of stills and moving images depicting my interpretation of what makes us who we are; my illustrations hope to remind everyone of their incredible power as human, to dream without constraint and to build from those dreams without inhibition.

As an illustrator, I am passionate about self-development: our bodies and their cells are renewed roughly every seven years, and so do our habits, beliefs and even knowledge. Via my favourite process of illustrating with gouache paints and turning these works into series of short moving images (gifs), I want to visualise the thought and introspection most people have come across at different life stages, to prompt my audience to simply reflect and reminisce, as well as to add a ‘dose of positivity’ to their day.


Beth sy’n ein gwneud ni’n unigryw fel pobl?

O’r diffiniadau biolegol, fe’n crëwyd o 46 cromosom, tua 37.2 triliwn o gelloedd a chyfuniad unigryw o gemegau’r ymennydd sy’n gwneud i ni deimlo emosiynau. O safbwynt personol ac ysbrydol llawer o bobl, mae un thema gyffredin yn ailymddangos drosodd a throsodd: ein pŵer ‘i fateroli’r anweladwy’ (Erwin McManus, 2015), hynny yw, gwneud ein dychymyg yn realiti. Gan ddefnyddio cyfres o ddelweddau llonydd a symudol yn dangos fy nehongliad o’r hyn a’n gwneir ni, gobaith fy narluniadau yw atgoffa pawb o’u pŵer anhygoel fel pobl, i freuddwydio’n rhydd ac adeiladu o’r breuddwydion hynny heb lestair.

Fel darlunydd, rwy’n angerddol am hunanddatblygiad: caiff ein corff a’i gelloedd eu hadnewyddu tua bob saith mlynedd, ac felly hefyd ein harferion, credoau a, hyd yn oed, ein gwybodaeth. Trwy fy hoff broses o ddarlunio gyda phaent gouache a throi’r darnau hyn yn gyfres o ddelweddau symudol byr (gifs), rydw i eisiau delweddu’r meddyliau a’r hunanymholiadau y mae’r rhan fwyaf o bobl wedi dod ar eu traws ar adegau gwahanol yn eu bywyd, i ysgogi fy nghynulleidfa i fyfyrio a hel atgofion, ynghyd â dwyn ‘dogn o’r cadarnhaol’ i’w diwrnod.

www.nikkjjay.wixsite.com/buttchinart

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