Intersecting Minds

MayLing Kopecky

Double Vase Study

A 7 inch by 5 inch drawing created using colored pencil, charcoal, and ink. It features two identical overlapping images of flowers displayed in a white, spherical vase. The flowers include a white lily at the top, situated next to a deep red rose. Surrounding these flowers are delicate green leaves and small white baby's breath flowers. The identical overlapping flowers and vase portray what double vision can look like. The background is a textured, tan paper. The drawing includes a signature and date in the lower right corner.

Hold the Railing

A grayscale 9 inch by 12 inch drawing created using graphite and colored pencil on Dura-Lar paper. The drawing features two layered images of a hand grasping a dark, textured, metal railing. The hands are depicted in fine detail with visible and dynamic shading. In the backdrop, there are layered drawings of a flight of stairs, appearing as a set of abstract lines and geometric patterns.

Artist Statement

My work is influenced by my experiences with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS). I had my first MS symptoms when I was 13, and I was diagnosed at 15. Due to my young age and the “invisible” nature of MS, I was often met with skepticism while talking about my illness. Many people told me that I looked healthy or was too young to be sick. In response, my work visualizes how I navigate the world with MS.

While my MS symptoms may be reflected in my MRI scans, they mostly go unseen by others. My point-of-view drawings depict symptoms I experience that are “invisible,” like troubles with my balance and vision.

Hold the Railing shares what it can feel like to walk down a set of stairs. Because my brain has a difficult time distinguishing between going down stairs and falling, I always must use the railing. I layered drawings of stairs and my hand gripping the railing at different angles to elicit a sense of imbalance and dizziness. Double Vase Study shares what double vision can look like. While I was trying to appreciate the vase of flowers featured in the drawing, at the time I was experiencing heat intolerance, and my vision became doubled and blurred.

Other people may not be able to see what I see or sense what I sense, but I hope that by visualizing what goes unseen, I can spread awareness about diseases like MS and advocate for those with invisible illnesses.

Artist Bio

May Ling Kopecky is an artist based in Plymouth, MN. She received her BFA from the University of Minnesota and her MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). Her work has received multiple awards in exhibitions across the US. Kopecky was a grant recipient of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council’s Next Step Fund in 2019. In 2021, Kopecky was awarded Second Place for the Kennedy Center VSA Emerging Young Artist Competition in Washington D.C., where she advocated for students with disabilities and accessibility in the arts. She has been featured in publications such as New American Paintings, the National MS Society’s Momentum magazine, the Star Tribune, and the Mayo Clinic News Network. Kopecky currently works in the Learning Center and Accessibility Services department at MCAD. Through her work, she strives to spread disability awareness and advocate for people with invisible illnesses.

Artist Website: maylingkopecky.com

Instagram: mayling.k