Litthisouk Nyx Keomounmany (they/them) is from Salt Lake City. They work with paint, graphic design, and photography. Originally an artist as a hobby, but now considers a career in the arts and design industry. Much of Keomounmany’s work addresses the model minority myth while navigating the intersections of their identity as a queer, gender-diverse, first-generation Asian American; and how all these revolve around the model minority stereotype.
Keomounmany is inspired by the de Stijl/Neoplasticism movement and its basic palette of primary colors, black and white, and its ability to convey solid concepts and ideas with such a limited, basic palette.
Featured in Out Loud* for two consecutive years at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Keomounmany finds the intersection of their identity and style, leaving questions about what can be done with their work and what can be created.
*Out Loud is a 12-week workshop exhibit program held by the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art which allows queer high school students to have an artistic platform to express themselves in a safe space while also helping them gain experience and teach them new methods and techniques.
Why do you make art/design?
What led you to do what you do today?
Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed making art as an outlet. The endless things I could make, and the endless colors I could make– it has always fascinated me.
I only really thought of pursuing a career in arts and media in high school. I needed an elective credit, so I decided to take this Digital Media class. It taught me how design works, and how to use various design software, and the rest is history. I learned how to use art in a more industrial manner, and in a way I can use it to help others, and possibly even turn this into a job for me, instead of a hobby.
It goes without saying that, I loved that class. Here I stand, three-ish years later at the time of writing, thousands of dollars deep into supplies and a nice computer, I’m still here, hunched over said computer, still making things like this.