Mini Art Series: My Chinese American Identity

For my final project in art class, we had to create a mini art series based on a meaningful theme. My series highlights aspects of my Chinese American identity.

My first painting called "Passion vs. Stability" depicts a struggle that many Asian American teens face. Especially with immigrant parents, there is even more pressure to follow a career path that is more "traditionally stable." As a rising junior, I still feel this pressure but I've come to realization that I will eventually find a path in life that allows for a perfect balance between the two(passion and stability).

My second piece called "Life is like a Box of Fortune Cookies" symbolizes the important role my family restaurant has played in my life. Growing up, I was embarrassed that my parents did not have a "cool" job like the other kids in my class. I was ashamed and would try to hide this part of my identity. When I started helping out at the restaurant, I realized how hard working my parents were and my whole perspective about the restaurant changed. The restaurant is not something to be ashamed of. It brings joys to others, allows for my parents to provide for their family, and it has given me the opportunity to grow as a person and gain more appreciation for my culture.

My third piece called "Roots" honors the sacrifices that my immigrant parents had to make in hopes of providing a better future for their children. In this piece, I painted an old photo of my parents on top of a motif of the outline of China.

My final piece called "Unmasked" symbolizes my journey of learning to appreciate my culture. This piece is inspired by the design of chinese porcelain