Meet Li Rothrock | Artist

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

Hi li, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe in calculated risk. In undergrad I didn’t know what I wanted to do for my career, so I studied math – both because I like math, but also because I thought it would open the most doors for me career-wise out of the options I was considering (English, photography, Spanish, philosophy…). I went for a route that felt safe, that gave me options, because I wasn’t yet sure what I wanted. During the pandemic, I was working in tech, and (like many people) started re-thinking what I wanted to do long-term. Leaving a stable tech career to get my MFA was a big risk, but at that point I knew what I wanted and was willing to sacrifice to go after it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a multidisciplinary artist. My primary medium is photography, but I work also in video, sculpture, and sound. I make work about how diaspora affects communication – how generational, cultural, and place-based differences can act like static that occludes or transforms meaning. I’m also interested in memory, how it’s both a soft, malleable thing and something hard-coded into our DNA.

I’m currently an MFA candidate at Arizona State University. I came to school to transition out of the tech sector into the fine art sector. It was a hard transition! I didn’t have a lot of background on the fine art world when I came in, which felt like a disadvantage, since I had to learn a lot. But what is grad school for, if not for learning? One lesson I’ve learned is the importance of knowing how to discern what feedback to take, and what to leave behind. It’s important to stay humble and be open to others’ opinions, but you also have to be persistent in your ideas, even if they’re not articulating to other people yet.

My thesis opens on March 21st 6-9pm at Northlight Gallery in Phoenix – if you’re interested in my work, I’d love to see you at the opening!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To start, I’d take them to Valentine, which is just like its name – loving, warm, with great food. I love hiking, so I might take them for a hike in South Mountain or pop up to Sedona to see some red rocks. We’d definitely visit some vintage shops downtown, and afterwards get dinner at Cibo. The next day we might visit the Salt River and kayak or paddle board on it, and get coffee and a pastry at Lola’s.

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?
In undergrad, the gallery coordinator, Gregory, hounded me to apply for a juried show. I didn’t think it was worth it to apply, because I was sure my work wouldn’t get in. He insisted that I apply, even extended the deadline for me to make sure my work got in, and then insisted that I go to the opening reception. I won first place, which would never have happened if he hadn’t been so persistent in getting me to apply.

Another one: Before I applied for graduate school, a good friend of mine named Allison encouraged me to call up a local gallery in town and pitch a solo exhibit to them. Again, I didn’t think it was worth it to do so, but I gave it a shot. They loved my work and decided to give me a show.

These two were instrumental in my career – they encouraged me to take myself and my work seriously. I’m so thankful for them.

Website: https://lirothrock.com

Instagram: @li.rothrock

Image Credits
li rothrock