My art-making process in general involves taking a step back from setting the canvas or collecting materials. The preparation started months or years of documenting—either consciously or unconsciously—ideas and images I saw, dreamed, or imagined. Therefore, upon the actual making process, I find myself constantly shutting off my mind and going with the flow. And I will not deliberately correct the “mistakes” I make along the way. The reason being is that every brushstroke, color choice, or anything is, and ought to be, the authentic and true representation of myself—my understanding of who I am as a person and the genuine reflection of my artistic expression. When nothing is considered a mistake, there won’t be one. I prefer not to let the audiences to be confined in one specific way of seeing. I am more than happy for them to turn it around, look at it from an angle, spit on it, smell it, taste it, shit on it, or do all the other stupid crazy things they feel comfortable to engage with it. To me, rather than having them hung on the wall and being looked at from a distance, my works are intended to be interactive.
Martin (Weiyi) Ma is a Chinese artist who resides in Santa Barbara. His works incorporate installations, sculptures, painting and prints.