Meet John Luo | New Media Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Luo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, what principle do you value most?
The intention to communicate and discuss with the audience matters most to me. In a normal conversation, you start and proceed by making yourself clear, which is the mindset I think many artists lack. Art should be an invitation—a bridge between the creator and the viewer, sparking thought and conversation without unnecessary barriers. Too often, artistic expression becomes so abstract or overly complex that it loses its power to connect, creating a divide between the artist and their audience. For me, clarity doesn’t mean simplicity; it means crafting experiences that are engaging, meaningful, and accessible while retaining depth and complexity.

This value drives my approach to blending traditional performance with technology. I strive to create work that challenges perception and invites dialogue, incorporating the immersive potential of new media without losing the essence of storytelling and human connection. Ultimately, I believe that art’s true purpose lies in its ability to communicate—provoking reflection, evoking emotions, and opening up space for shared understanding.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is deeply rooted in exploring the emotions and experiences that people often shy away from—fear, desire, identity, and the intersection of tradition and modernity. What sets my work apart is its commitment to blending the surreal and bizarre with profound storytelling. I create immersive experiences that use unconventional and sometimes unsettling visuals to provoke thought and dialogue, pushing audiences to confront and reflect on emotions and ideas they might avoid in their daily lives.

One of the aspects I’m most proud of is my ability to merge traditional performance arts with cutting-edge technology. I believe that art should communicate and connect, and I’m constantly experimenting with VR, interactive installations, and other digital mediums to breathe new life into theatrical performances and participatory art. Projects like *The Eyer’s Theater: Shuang Mou Meng* exemplify this approach by blending performance, technology, and Eastern philosophical discourse to challenge perceptions.

Getting to where I am today has been anything but easy. One of the biggest challenges has been learning a vast amount of technology in a short period while trying to figure out which tools and platforms are trending, which ones will help propel my career forward, and which ones will truly help me achieve my creative vision. The tech art world is constantly evolving, and staying ahead means continuous learning and discerning what will be most effective for my work.

To overcome this, I leaned on collaboration, learning from peers who share a passion for innovative art, and staying adaptable as technology continues to evolve.

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is the importance of clear communication in art. Art that fails to engage or alienates the audience with excessive abstraction loses its purpose. I strive to create work that invites audiences into a dialogue, encourages them to reflect, and leaves a lasting impact. I want the world to know that my brand and story are about pushing boundaries while staying grounded in meaningful storytelling. It’s about finding harmony between the familiar and the unknown, the traditional and the modern, and inspiring others to look within and around them with new perspectives.

In the end, my work is not just about creating art but fostering experiences that connect people, ideas, and emotions in unexpected ways.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting for a week, I’d take them on a journey through New York’s vibrant art and food scene. We’d start with the must-see big galleries like the MoMA and the Met, then explore the hidden gems—those small boutique galleries that often surprise you with unexpected and thought-provoking exhibits.

For dining, we’d experience the full spectrum: splurge on a high-level restaurant for an unforgettable meal and balance it out with the city’s iconic food carts and 99-cent pizza that keep artists like myself fueled when time and money are tight.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to give a heartfelt shoutout to Lois He, an incredibly talented multimedia artist and close collaborator. Lois’s dedication to creating innovative and immersive experiences, both digital and physical, has been a significant source of inspiration in my journey. Her relentless pursuit of new ideas and technologies has not only enriched our joint projects but also motivated me to push my own boundaries. Collaborating with her has been transformative—she challenges me to keep learning, exploring, and refining my skillset, constantly reminding me of the importance of curiosity and growth in the ever-evolving tech art world.

Website: https://johnlol.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_luo81/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junqi-luo-b09b81230/