Oscar yi Hou

Oscar yi Hou’s magnetic oil paintings are dripping in iconography and unadulterated queer sensuality. Cowboys, sailors and leather daddies flaunt their rippling muscles, adorned with an endless stream of East Asian motifs and visual nods to Americana. This shimmering mix of symbolism is rooted in (but not limited to) Oscar’s personal experiences. Born in Liverpool, England, to Chinese immigrants, he then moved across the Atlantic in the early 2020s to study his BA at Columbia University in New York City, where he’s been based since. His series Coolieisms dives into Asian American history, taki...