For my self portrait, I wanted to surround myself with my identity. Even though I am not mixed race, my family came to America when they were very young, and I grew up learning more American values than Chinese. I am fully Chinese, but I see myself as a race traitor when I see my other Chinese friends follow these traditions that I never had to follow because my family did not practice Chinese culture. The Chinese have a lot of values and superstitions that the Americans do not, and sometimes I feel isolated in a Chinese community because I am lost in identity there. I asked my mother to teach me how to cook Chinese food, but even she doesn't remember how because they were absorbed into the American society way before I was born.
As an artist, I wanted to create a portrait where I am surrounded by both the culture I identify with (American), and the identity I was born with (Chinese). In the portrait, even though I do not follow the traditions and culture of the Chinese, I am content in life and don't mind that I am more American than I am Chinese - thus I am smiling in my portrait. My Chinese race will always be with me, which is why the circle shows the Chinese stars on the flag as half of the circle, and not just on a little part of the circle. I am proud to be Chinese, and that my family struggled heavily to be able to live a good life in America, so I can only say that I enjoy being a part of two cultures.
I like how you chose to draw yourself in the middle being surrounded by different flags to represent your identity. When I first looked at this, I interpreted it as: the flags are circulating around you, confusing you as to who you really are, but by asserting yourself in the middle, you are the product of these two different cultures and it almost looks like a pendant that you are proud to wear. Your artist statement was well-written. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI really liked that you mentioned that although you identify as more American than Chinese it makes you happy. I think it's important to mention that being mixed raced or choosing one race over the other doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. Your picture clearly shows your Chinese culture and in your artist statement you do a great job in explaining the connection you have with both races. Great job.
ReplyDeleteThis piece is great! I completely connect to your art piece even though I myself do not identify as Chinese American this image transcends to those people that identify as mixed race and have come to appreciate themselves. I love the meaning you have of the circle and how the colors are a fusion of both cultures.
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