I create paintings utilizing the traditional Chinese red and modern sky blue to represent constraints and freedom as it relates identity, social issues, cultural conflict, and gender equality.
As a bicultural woman with an Eastern background, I struggle with the sense of marginalization in Western society. I have accepted the conflicting aspects of each culture, but realize I do not have to abandon or accept something that I do not want. My Chinese background can be seen as a constraint, but I still have the American dream. I am inspired by personal experiences that I have encountered in a new world. Culture can become a constraint if we only look to our own culture, but when culture is exchanged it offers a variety of opportunities. Our world is changing all the time, like human evolution. We can see this when we look at women’s contributions to society now versus the limited role and considered inferiority women struggled against in the past. In modern times, women tend to have more freedom, although some cultures still have many limitations in place. In my work, I explore these issues as they relate to gender equality.