Thesis
Birth in the Palace, Mother and Child
Thesis
Essay
Living in my home country never prompted me to think about my identity. However, after moving to the US, tradition became something that is nostalgic and drew me in. This craving for tradition comes from all directions. As I learned more, I started to connect all the threads that I have found here and there to weave various elements of Chinese tradition together in my new work.
My work is based on the social issue that is prevalent in China, where men’s infidelity in marriage becomes common. The victims are always the women who end up being emotionally destroyed. The injustice toward women is in fact rooted in a history in which polygamy was the social norm. Through drawing on this history, I want to invite the viewer to reflect upon the issue along with me.
From content to media, my work reflects the influence of both the West and the East. Oil has been the main media of my work in the most recent years, but it is used transparently. My work involves a long process of layering and removal to create subtle light and a sense of airiness.
Besides oil, I incorporated Chinese artifacts such as rice paper, fabric, and hair decor to my piece. Those artifacts, like me, travel across the sea to the US and find their new home here. They speak about the content of my work and reflect my experience. They are used in a way they are not made for, but interact with the paint.
Description
The oil paint in this work is multi-layered, and so is the story - a rivalry between a mother and her rival mistress. The mistress gave birth, using the baby to gain status. The second layer of the story has its origin in history, about the desirability of male children. In the past, girls were killed at birth by families that didn’t want more females.
In the imperial palace, women desperately wanted to have a son because it elevated their status. However, many children didn’t reach adulthood because they were murdered by other women out of jealousy.
The third layer is about my rabbit, who gave birth and didn’t take care of her babies. The babies cried with suffering and died of starvation. Not all mothers take care of their children.
