我_你 (I_YOU)

exhibition | multimedia | 2026


In many Asian families, love is rarely spoken aloud. It’s cooked, served, and expressed through quiet acts of care. For many parents, saying “I love you” can feel unfamiliar, and that silence can carry across generations, shaping how emotion is expressed and sometimes leaving behind unspoken wounds.

我 __你  reflects on cultural identity while touching on intergenerational trauma.

我_你 (I_YOU)

exhibition | multimedia | 2026

In many Asian families, love is rarely spoken aloud. It’s cooked, served, and expressed through quiet acts of care. For many parents, saying “I love you” can feel unfamiliar, and that silence can carry across generations, shaping how emotion is expressed and sometimes leaving behind unspoken wounds.

我 __你  reflects on cultural identity while touching on intergenerational trauma.

01

The work draws from the phrase “I love you” (我爱你), with “love” intentionally removed and replaced by illustrations of Chinese comfort foods. They fill the space between “I” (我) and “You” (你), standing in for the care our parents express without words. The character for “love” is also hidden in each panel within the food illustrations. 

There are 8 panels in quatrefoil shapes, both holding significance in Chinese culture, symbolizing luck, fortune, and prosperity. Spread across the panels, the food holds both the presence of love and the distance created by its absence in language.

01

The work draws from the phrase “I love you” (我爱你), with “love” intentionally removed and replaced by illustrations of Chinese comfort foods. They fill the space between “I” (我) and “You” (你), standing in for the care our parents express without words. The character for “love” is also hidden in each panel within the food illustrations. 

There are 8 panels in quatrefoil shapes, both holding significance in Chinese culture, symbolizing luck, fortune, and prosperity. Spread across the panels, the food holds both the presence of love and the distance created by its absence in language.

02

The words are common phrases Asian parents would say, such as “Have you eaten?” and “What would you like to eat?”. I had my parents handwrite the words to give it a more personal touch, using light gray vinyl so they wouldn’t overpower the panels but still stand out from the darker wall.

03

I intentionally used only Chinese characters with no translations to reflect the discomfort many immigrant parents experienced when they first came to the U.S. and struggled with English. The confusion viewers may feel mirrors what it’s like to encounter language you don’t fully understand, while also exploring cultural differences in how love is expressed.

02

The words are common phrases Asian parents would say, such as “Have you eaten?” and “What would you like to eat?”. I had my parents handwrite the words to give it a more personal touch, and then scanned and cut them out on light gray vinyl so they wouldn’t overpower the panels but still stand out from the darker wall.


03

For the entire body of work, I intentionally used only Chinese characters with no translations to reflect the discomfort many immigrant parents experienced when they first came to the U.S. and struggled with English. The confusion viewers may feel mirrors what it’s like to encounter language you don’t fully understand, while also exploring cultural differences in how love is expressed.

02

The words are common phrases Asian parents would say, such as “Have you eaten?” and “What would you like to eat?”. I had my parents handwrite the words to give it a more personal touch, and then scanned and cut them out on light gray vinyl so they wouldn’t overpower the panels but still stand out from the darker wall.



03

For the entire body of work, I intentionally used only Chinese characters with no translations to reflect the discomfort many immigrant parents experienced when they first came to the U.S. and struggled with English. The confusion viewers may feel mirrors what it’s like to encounter language you don’t fully understand, while also exploring cultural differences in how love is expressed.

04

I designed a recipe zine people could take with 3 recipes for my favorite dishes on the wall so others can take the same love home.

04

I designed a recipe zine people could take with 3 recipes for my favorite dishes on the wall so others can take the same love home.

04

I designed a recipe zine people could take that includes 3 recipes for my favorite dishes on the wall so others can take the same love back with them.

05

A bowl flipbook was also designed to would further explain the concept in a personal narrative. Dumplings were featured since my grandpa would make for me even when he was chronically ill; tomato egg noodles, one of my favorite dishes my grandma would make for me, and apple slices since fruit is a well known apology food that many Asian parents use to say sorry or I love you.

05

A bowl flipbook was also designed to would further explain the concept in a personal narrative. Dumplings were featured since my grandpa would make for me even when he was chronically ill; tomato egg noodles, one of my favorite dishes my grandma would make for me, and apple slices since fruit is a well known apology food that many Asian parents use to say sorry or I love you.

GET IN TOUCH ~

EMAIL LINKEDIN

GET IN TOUCH ~

EMAIL LINKEDIN

GET IN TOUCH ~

EMAIL LINKEDIN