归属感 in mandarin means a sense of belonging. Pursuing this idea animates my work. Each
character is a root word with multilayered meanings that in combination with other ideas, offer
new meanings. 归(gui) means to go back to one’s origin or offer recompense to another. 属(shu)
conveys one’s personal and relational identity, who you are to yourself and who you are in
relation to others. 感 (gan) is related to the senses: an external sensing, an interior, emotional
sense, and a sense of connection to another person.
These values, centrality of connection to oneself and to others, are the focus of my work.
I am an artist who works with edible materials in performances. My work engages with my
audience beyond the visual, using food to create the kind of intimacy I seek. Eating is the closest interaction that can happen between art and audience as the artwork is consumed; it is an act of acceptance. I use edible materials and the labor of preparing food to build trust and connection with my participants. Food operates as an expression of cultural identity that connects people and places. Using edible materials allows my participants to fully engage with my work through taste, sight, touch, sound, and scent, and through these to access the memories and emotions that certain foods evoke.