For almost two decades, I’ve employed my characters as metaphors of myself. Whether it’s deep introspective epiphany, or playful pop culture analysis, these characters deftly explore different aspects of my life.

“Face to Face” is about acceptance and empathy. The use of black and white makes it easy to illustrate the opposing values of the white bear and the black bear head it’s holding. That their heads also mirror each other in shape and expression puts into question their existence as opposites, subliminally suggesting they come from the same place. Rather than reject each other, the sculpture communicates a sense of recognition and compassion.

The world we live in feels like it’s becoming increasingly more divided. Political and philosophical conflict tears apart friends and families. My hope is that we can all eventually all meet face to face and realize that despite our differences, there’s room for understanding and goodwill.

- Luke Chueh