aging & maturing - solo exhibition (2023)
My work is a blend of cultural identity and memory. Drawing inspiration from my biracial heritage, nurtured by an American mother and a Taiwanese father, I explore embracing my cultural roots through abstract and surreal subjects. Influenced by cherished family gatherings centered around dim sum, I weave together the threads of my upbringing. These memories transformed into visceral drawings, paintings, and installations invite viewers to explore the delicate balance within my identity. The imagery of hanging meat in Asian-owned restaurants, reminiscent of my family's frequent visits, forms the basis of my exploration.
These experiences shaped my childhood and connected me to my Taiwanese roots, which I translated into ethereal forms using powdered graphite on vellum accompanied by vibrant vignettes of flesh on panels. The ghost-like quality of the graphite mirrors the fleeting nature of memory, while the vellum references its historical origins as animal membrane. I empirically evaluated each of the drawings that eventually would comprise the installation aspect of my work. Initially drawn in a painterly manner on tracing paper, I could determine which forms were most exciting or would potentially lend themselves to a compelling form while suspended from the ceiling.
Where the monochromatic drawings reflect my past, my chromatically lush paintings result from the clarity and growth I've nurtured by reexamining my cultural identity. Deriving inspiration from auspicious fruit, medicinal plants, and porcelain vessels, this deliberate layering of motifs softens the rawness of my meaty subjects, imbuing them with a sense of warmth and nurturing. Aspects of myself I once eschewed, my paintings manifest the softer, more reflective aspects of my identity, visually exploring how my cultural heritage and personal growth have intertwined. Each piece celebrates the confluence of these influences and represents a journey into the nurturing side of who I am, revealing the deep impact of revisiting and embracing my roots.