Art
Artist Statement：Intricately Woven
During my childhood in Suzhou, I often watched my mother sitting at a wooden loom, her hands guiding a shuttle back and forth through layers of cotton thread. Slowly, intricate plaid patterns emerged as hundreds of threads came together to form a beautiful piece of cloth.
As time went on, the traditional loom began to disappear, replaced by the rise of new industries in China. My father built a high-tech factory where conventional oil was processed into white powder, used for insulation in iPhones and even space flights. The rapid growth of China’s economy reshaped industries, traditions, and lives.
At the same time, a wave of migration swept across the country. People left rural areas for cities or foreign lands in search of new opportunities. My family joined this movement, transitioning from the countryside to the city, and I eventually left China to pursue education in Canada.
Life in Canada brought both transformation and tension. Adapting to a new culture while feeling the pull of my roots created an internal struggle, pushing me to question my identity and seek a deeper understanding of myself.
Like my mother’s threads and my father’s processed oil—both transformed through intricate processes to serve a purpose—I too underwent a metamorphosis. Through the interplay of time, space, and experience, I wove together the past and present, internal and external, and the inclusive and exclusive. This journey has shaped my transcultural identity—a dynamic blend of my origins and my Journey.