Lian Yung Morales walked away after a year from a career in science in 2023 to chase something messier, riskier, and a lot more her, she said. The former Stanford University biomedical researcher is preparing to open her first solo art show, “Lucky Numbers,” Thursday night at The Birdcage SF, 816 Sutter St., from 6 to 9 p.m.
The show presents a series of paintings featuring Yung’s interpretations of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, a theme she brainstormed with her sister, who helped shape the initial concept but left the design work to Yung.
The 26-year-old Yung said she was shaped by growing up mixed-race; her mother is Chinese and her father is Puerto Rican. “It shows up as who I am as an artist being mixed race,” she said.
This project favors her Chinese heritage. She was influenced early on by calligraphy lessons from her grandfather. Later, the late Korean artist Kim Jung Gi became an inspiration. His dreamlike realism encouraged her to experiment with bold angles and surreal compositions.
Yung’s 12 Chinese zodiac animals are vividly reimagined, and mark Yung’s first time creating a themed series, an intentional shift from casual sketches. “I wanted people to see their sign and say, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s me,'” said the 25-year-old Yung. “I want this show to feel like a celebration of identity and connection.”
Yung started painting the series in March, just weeks before the show. “Of course I waited until the last minute,” she said. She found one blank canvas already framed and sitting just outside her apartment. “It was right next to my door — I was like, this is so serendipitous,” she said. She used it to paint the snake zodiac.
While working on pieces for the show, she rarely sketched out ideas in advance. Occasionally, she’d sketch a quick thumbnail — a small draft or “blueprint” — but, more often, she let the materials guide her. “I usually pick the canvas first, feel the texture, and then let that guide what animal should go there,” she said. The rat, she added, was the hardest to get right. “I had this whole idea, but the medium didn’t cooperate. It just kind of annoyed me.”
Born in 1999, Yung grew up celebrating Chinese New Year with her family. Her sign is the rabbit, the same as her father’s and grandfather’s. “We’d sit around the table, reading the fortunes from the calendar. It was a big part of how I understood who I was.”
“Lucky Numbers” isn’t just a nod to cultural tradition; it’s also about resilience, resourcefulness and joy, she said. Look closely at each piece, and you’ll find the number eight. In Chinese culture, it symbolizes prosperity, but for Yung, it’s about more than money. “It’s wealth in love, in luck, in whatever you need more of.”
The Birdcage SF, a café-gallery space that serves tea and has showcased emerging artists since 2023, offered Yung their Nob Hill space, and even partnered with her on a limited-run T-shirt as part of the gallery show.
What does Yung want people to take away from her first exhibition?
“That you can do it,” she said. “Even if it feels scary. Just start. Paint your rabbit. Put it on the wall. See who shows up.”
Bunnies and bikes .. love it.