Printmaking : What I Value

Growing up as an immigrant, I value my cultural identity as an Asian American the most. Leaving my home country at such a young age and being thrown into a foreign land has had a major impact on me. I was expected to assimilate into the new land and leave the old one behind, but I couldn't. I was bullied when I was younger for being an immigrant. therefore as a defense mechanism to protect myself, I tried to erase the parts that connected me to Vietnam . I use to hate my parents for being so ''traditional''  with all the Vietnamese customs and traditions. I would try to avoid or rebel against these traditions, hating how it was forced upon me. I tried so hard to get rid of my Vietnamese side to fit into society. As I grew up however, I begin to crave the parts that I wanted to forget. I started to notice and appreciate the complex history of the customs and the intricate details in the artworks. I fell in love with my culture again. I started reading books about the history, art, customs, cuisine, geographic, anything I could get my hand on about my home. I couldn't get enough. My artworks started to become a fusion between western and eastern ideals. Growing up as an Asian American has presented me many struggles. I don't feel completely part of one community or the other, but I view this as an advantage. I am able to take inspiration from both culture and combine the two. Even though I am still struggling to find balance between the two, I wouldn't change anything about it.