-cannot be removed and cannot be forgotten

 

Everyone has a scar that they remember and know the story behind it. Our scars, whether they are physical or emotional, are the epitome of our trials and personal history. These unique marks on our bodies and upon our minds serve as outward representations of the stories that make us unique and different from one another. Thus, they represent, in a way, a personal identity. For example, a person can be known or remembered for his or her unique birthmark. Therefore, I entitled my exhibition, Indelible—marks that cannot be removed or forgotten. I am interested in documenting and representing those marks visually and narratively through different art forms. It allows me to further explore my own identity while interpreting other peoples’ identities and the unique experiences that define them.

 

In order to portray my personal identity, I employed Chinese characters to represent my background.  In addition, the Chinese characters are closely related to my overall theme because of their unique properties. The writing of characters is a way of engraving marks on a piece of paper, which are, in turn, interpreted by the reader. Likewise, scars are marks that are made upon our body or mind by our environment and experiences. Furthermore, Chinese characters represent a combination of ideas—each stroke has meaning, each character is a picture.

 

My goal is to inspire my audience to think or question their identity—who they truly are and what makes them special. I want to make them embrace their unique marks and scars, and appreciate the environment surrounding their personal life experiences. I want to intrigue their awareness of the relationship between their inner selves and their connection to their community, society, country and the world. Perhaps I might inspire the question “Who am I?”­