OTHER SELECT WORK

I was born in America to Chinese immigrant parents. Growing up, I was called an ABC (American Born Chinese), and this label has continued to stick with me. I have always felt as though I’m not “Chinese enough”, especially with my degrading ability to speak Cantonese, which caused a barrier between me and the main exposure to my culture, my parents. What drove me farther away from understanding my roots and myself was that I grew up in a predominantly white small-town community. Apart from my confusion about identity, these two aspects of my life both had their impacts. The disconnect between me and my parents affected my relationship with them and the mental strain from being regarded as “different” outside of my home life has shaped who I am and how am today.

Putting all these emotions into my piece, I created a sculpture titled “Split.” The clay hands unravel a crochet doll in two directions to represent a divide in identity and the toll it takes on the individual. Though I am incredibly proud of both aspects of my life, they no doubt have had adverse effects on my mental health. Despite this truth, the idea behind using a crochet doll is that it was not only easy to portray the unraveling of oneself but also that it was able to be repaired. Though not as easy as it is taken apart, the strings can be rewoven to become whole once more, representing thriving and self-accepting potential.