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Intricately Woven
Lipont Gallery
2023

Artist Statement:Intricately Woven

During my childhood, I always saw my mum sitting on a big loom. A wooden shuttle was flying back and forth between two layers of cotton thread. Different plaid patterns slowly appeared. Hundred thread under her hands were eventually transforming into a beautiful piece of cloth. 

However, as time passed, the traditional wood loom began to vanish.  New industries were rising in China. My father started to build up his high tech-knowledge factory. The conventional oil went through different, giant machines and came out white powder which was the main material of insulation for i-phone and space flight in the world.  China’s economy was growing very quickly. 

At the same time, the significant migration was brewing in China. People left from rural areas to urban centres and foreign countries, in order to look for new opportunities. My family was part of this great migration, moving from the countryside to the city, and I, myself, left for Canada to pursue education. My new life in Canada brought about substantial changes, presenting both harmony and discord. I faced the challenge of adapting to a new culture while still feeling a strong connection to my roots. This internal struggle led me to question my true identity.

Over time, I eventually shifted to a different investigation of my cultural identity with a new understanding. Like the mum’s thread and father’s conventional oil have gone through long and hard processes, eventually becoming the final products with their specific missions. I have discovered a metamorphosis within myself, where the interplay of space and time weaves intricate patterns of individuality and identity, blending the past and present, the internal and external, and the realms of inclusion and exclusion. This amalgamation has given rise to my new transcultural identities.

小时候,每当我走进家里,就能看到妈妈坐在一台巨大的织布机前。一个木梭在两层棉线之间来回穿梭,不同的格子图案悄悄地浮现。数百根棉线在她的手中巧妙地编织,最终变成了一块美丽的布。

然而,随着时间地推移,传统的木织机逐渐淡出了视线。中国新兴产业蓬勃发展。我父亲开始投身高科技产业。传统的原油经过不同的巨型机器,产出白色粉末,这是世界上苹果手机和太空飞行器主要绝缘材料的原料。中国的经济此时正在腾飞。

与此同时,中国大地上正在酝酿着大规模的人口迁徙。人们从宁静的农村踏上了漫漫都市之路,甚至走向了海外,去寻找新的机遇。我和家人也成为这次移民的一部分,从农村迁往繁华的城市,我又远赴加拿大接受教育。加拿大新的生活给我带来了翻天覆地的变化,有和谐,也有冲突。我面临着适应新文化的挑战,同时仍然感受到我与根源的紧密联系。这种内心的困惑和挣扎让我对自己个人身份产生了质疑。

随着时间,我开始以新的眼光审视自己。如同妈妈的线和爸爸的传统原油,我经历了漫长而曲折的过程,最终呈现出独特的使命。我发现了自己内心的蜕变,空间和时间相互编织出一个复杂的个体身份,融合了过去和现在、内部和外部、包容和排斥。这种融合造就了我新的跨文化身份。

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