Smudged

The Bridge in Between Two Halves

Born in California but living under two views of culture, there’s a wall that commonly confronts me with the question: Where Are You From? In response, I encourage people to engage in a space that’s not quite Chinese or not quite American, to think outside of first glances and hear stories within their original and updated book of recipes. Coming from a background of Cantonese parents, my childhood filled up with stories of my ancestors’ journey between China and America and their lessons engraved into them but, as I grew up, these stories got lost through translation. Over time my mind developed this interweaving conversation between language barriers and cultural differences which grounds a mixture of hyphens and uncertainty. Smudged, similar to pink pearl erasers leaving grey stains between writing, my work narrates and magnifies this world that I’ve called the “in between” to show the duality of living as a Chinese American. Ultimately, creating a voice through my works to shape the heart of my own language.