ARTIST STATEMENT
My work uses rocks, collected since childhood, as a source of comfort to explore how trauma reshapes memory. Growing up in a negligent household, these overlooked rocks became symbols of comfort and self reflection as they echo my own experiences of neglect. These rocks, primarily made of paper pulp, also reference erosion as a metaphor for healing and growth. By breaking down paper into pulp and making it whole again with the fragments of its original self, the work reflects this emotional process of unbecoming and rebecoming. Just as a stone is shaped through pressure, trauma can make a person a more resilient version of themselves.
Each recreation also mirrors the way memories are not fixed, but are constantly reshaped with each recollection. Despite each sculpture recreating a specific rock, it will never be the exact same in the same way that memories constantly change each time they are recalled. Through this labor of love, each rock acts as a way to care for my past self and reshape painful memories recalled in the process.
BIO
Aileen Khuu (b. 2004) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dallas, Texas, working primarily with paper pulp sculptures. She earned her BFA in Studio Arts from the University of North Texas in 2025. During her undergraduate studies, she was actively involved in the Denton art community through spaces such as the Denton Maker Center, The Art Room, and the Greater Denton Arts Council where she supported studio operations and fellow artists by offering her time and experience. Since graduating, Aileen has expanded her presence in the Dallas–Fort Worth arts community. She is currently a member of the McDermott Fellows Cohort 2, works at the Dallas Museum of Art, and continues to exhibit throughout the DFW metroplex.