Asian Horror and Creepypasta: an Interview with Viviane Tran-Le

As Halloween draws near, we discuss Asian horror and creepypasta themes with Montreal artist Viviane Tran-Le, as well as her inspirations and influences. In her digital series, Viviane represents Vietnamese folklore, demons, spirits, old myths and urban legends. 

Spooky! 🎃

Amandine Davre: To begin with, where does this passion for Vietnamese folklore and the theme of Asian horror come from?

Viviane Tran-Le: I’ve always somewhat had a penchant for horror and weirder things. One artist whose art I adore and inspired me greatly would be SilllDA, a Korean artist based in Japan. Their art is so elegant yet horror, and the day I discovered them I just had a rush of inspiration. I hoped to one day be able to have my own elegantly horrific style. I’m also a strong believer that creating art close to your heart or with deeper meaning will push you further. Therefore, representing my ethnic roots was something I really wished to do.

A.D: How did you learn about these different Asian (or more precisely Vietnamese) myths?

 V.T-L: I learned a lot of these myths from my family and just general pop culture references (Junji Ito, urban myths, etc.). I’ve always been super intrigued about horror and the supernatural, so spending my days reading creepypastas was a routine back in high school.

A.D: Can you tell us your favorite Asian myth or urban legend?

V.T-L: This isn’t your classic Asian myth, but one piece of pop culture I really liked (and also really marked my adolescence) was the webtoon of Bongcheon-Dong Ghost. I would prefer leaving the surprise to you guys to read, although I must warn, viewer’s discretion is advised.

A.D: I just searched for it on internet and... indeed, viewer's discretion is advised! Now that I know more about your influences, I would like to know more about your creation process. How do you go about creating your artworks? What are the different steps to get to the result?

V.T-L: I first research my topic in depth. I want to know all the details, what it entails, the context, everything! I then make a moodboard on Pinterest. I simply pin all the images that inspire me, whether it be the color palette, the theme, the composition. Afterwards, I like to make some thumbnails with different compositions, as I look at the overall moodboard to inspire me. When I figure out which thumbnail is my favorite, I resketch it in the actual size, with more detail. From there, I get creative! I first line everything with a textured pen, very thinly. I then block out all the base colors, and slightly shade the parts I feel would need more pop. Once that’s done, I slap a ton of textures and color modes until I feel like it looks right.

A.D: Do you have other horrific, but yet beautiful, art projects? Would you like to continue with this theme?

V.T-L: For the moment, I don’t have any projects in mind. Of course, I would love to continue down this path, as this is a completely different style from what I envisioned for myself. I love the process of discovering a whole new method of creating. It really opened my eyes and allowed me to explore a new side of my art that I never thought I would be able to see.

A.D: And now, what can we expect from you for the future?

V.T-L: You can expect more horrifically elegant pieces from me in the near future. For the moment, I am trying to simply focus on my graphic designing career, but once I am settled down and ready to go, I’ll be creating so much more!