Outsider, 2023

As a child, I was discouraged from speaking Shanghaiese at school by the education authority, who instead encouraged me to speak Mandarin. This experience of being discouraged from expressing my cultural identity has been repeated in other parts of the world, such as Tokyo and London, where my appearance has led to assumptions about my cultural background, resulting in a sense of cultural disorientation. I am aware of both cultures, but not fully accepted by either.

The inspiration for this project draws from the concept of how a fish's perception of the world changes in relation to the depth in the water they find themselves. The visual experiences of a fish are affected by its depth in the water, with a more vibrant perception at the surface and a more monotonous perception at greater depths. This analogy highlights the idea that our own cultural experiences and perspectives can similarly shape our understanding of the world.