Curatorial Rationale

Through my art I want to explore pieces of my identity and culture through clothing, ornamentation, patterns, and color. Whether it comes from reference photos, objects, fabric, and symbols I want to create connections between my art and Chinese and Vietnamese culture and the importance and impact that they have on my understanding and respect for it. I looked into a lot of the meanings of symbols and details to understand the traditional values that they hold in Chinese and Vietnamese culture and how they are still apparent in the 21st century.All in all I envisioned my work to focus on my understanding and exploration of my own culture and share my with others.

 

In most of my pieces I use a dominant color of red as it has great meaning in Chinese and Vietnamese culture as well as intertwining them with global symbolism in the world. The color red symbolizes luck, good fortune, and happiness which are important aspects within the culture. I felt that without any of my pieces having some element of red it would not serve it justice due to the sense of nostalgia and comfort I get from red throughout my life. This can be seen in many of my pieces when it came to celebrations and holidays. For example, in Flourish the dominant color of red represents the hope of good fortune and happiness for the woman in her married life. In order to represent this idea using a red hair piece on the woman’s black hair draws attention towards the hair piece to bring emphasis on the color. I also used floral details and oriental flowers in some of my pieces as it holds great history and significance behind them. In Decoration the oriental flower seen on the left of the piece represents happiness and prosperity, a repeating theme within the two cultures, but also the religious ties it has. In many cases oriental flowers can be seen in Buddhism and they are seen as something beautiful and the essence of life. To add on, oriental flowers can also be seen in embroidered fabric, blankets, and pictures. This relates to the history of traditional Chinese and Vietnamese textiles which are either hand woven, loomed, embroidered, or just printed going back to Chinese art. As for clothing patterns it is very common for there to be floral patterning in clothing, especially traditional clothing. This can be seen in Asian (2 of 3) where the two subjects in the piece are wearing a cheongsam and tang suit where there are floral details and patterns on their attires. As for symbols, I used them as a way of describing their story and importance of it in ancient times. For example, in Story of the Dragon the main subject of the piece is the dragon where it has its connection to water elements which is why I used a dominant color of blue to highlight the connection and story with dragons in Chinese tale. In the tales the dragon is said to be the one who controls water and is the reason behind water phenomena. To highlight this the background and textures of the piece mimic the flow and smoothness of water to relate back to the symbol of the dragon and it’s tale. This explores the folktales and beliefs within the culture and how relevant they are in the 21st century. For instance, dragons can be seen on many occasions and holidays do to it’s symbol of power and strength. 

For my exhibition I laid out my work based on their connections to three categories: my identity, celebrations, and tales. My work in three series will be placed in the center of my exhibition as it represents my identity and connection with both of my Chinese-Vietnamese and American side. American (1 of 3) on the left, Asian-American (3 of 3) in the center, and Asian (2 of 3) on the right. I hope to express to my audience how I can relate to both sides of these cultures and understanding of myself. Flourish, Days at the Pagoda, and Afternoon Tea will be placed together to represent the celebration and details entailed in such occasions and ceremonies. I hope to connect the audience with the feeling of joy and celebration through these three pieces. Finally, Lotus Flower and Story of the Dragon will be placed together on the bottom of my exhibit to show the story behind it and the symbols that they stand for.