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My work uses the portrayal of human figures, gestures, and surfaces to create representations of my Asian-American community. They are my tribe: those who not only look like me but also in whom I see in some way myself—all of them creative performers and artists. The viewer is invited to gaze upon them with a sense of intimacy, given the closeness and bareness of their figures. And yet the subjects also refuse to be totally seen: you will only be able to know them based on the surface of the photograph.
Through video I explore the ways in which our experience is in constant oscillation, a duality of ascension into the cultural spotlight and a fall from significance. Taking found footage of celebrities, cultural producers, and prominent figures, I remix the narrative and re-represent them in tandem with the movement of the body.
With every photograph or video I am constantly attempting to get closer to a true expression of experience. How can I photograph an experience that is unseen yet deeply felt? How can I photograph air?