My Taiwanese American Vanitas Still Life Triptych

Digital Art for REALM Group Show, 2022

Chinatown, Los Angeles

Vanitas No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 framed at REALM in Chinatown, Los Angeles.

I made three new vanitas still lifes for a group show with other Asian American artists in LA’s Chinatown at REALM. The pieces are compositionally very me, but the intent and tone have shifted from my previous works. While my identity will always be a part of what I create, I’m looking to have my personal work going forward to be less explicitly about it, as well as moving away from the rather idealized lens with which I explored it. 

I’ll always be proud of this phase of work. It helped me establish my current sense of self and build a community with other creatives and local organizations both in New York and now in the Bay Area, California. The stories I shared through my work and openly celebrating my identity created a lot of opportunities for me and I am incredibly grateful.

My full artist statement is below.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Vanitas still lifes traditionally depict objects symbolizing the ephemeral nature of life and the imminence of death, which seems antithetical to themes of faith, hopes, and dreams. My intent, however, was not to take on a nihilistic view, but rather to challenge the ways I approached themes of belonging and identity in my past works. 

As an artist and Taiwanese American, I often feel like I am balancing representing my family and community with fulfilling my need to create for myself. With this comes a fear of self tokenization from trying to fit the expectations of a broader audience and a fear of my works never being valued beyond their Asianness.

These vanitas works allowed me to examine these fears by acknowledging those who came before me, accepting my existential spiral, and celebrating the present despite its transience.

Vanitas No. 1 evokes nostalgia with a shrine in a distinctly Taiwanese apartment terrace. Each object is a part of my family’s story – golden gourds from my grandparents, an ikebana arrangement by my grandmother, bowls from my grandparents’ former restaurant in Paraguay, and an ancestral tablet carrying 24 generations of names. This scene paints a romanticized view of my family’s stories, which were told to me in pieces over time. Amidst their scattered histories, these objects serve as fixtures in my narrative.

Vanitas No. 2 eschews nostalgia with a withering orchid, fruit in various stages of rot, and an open can of flat Apple Sidra. Drawing food was an early entry point to exploring my culture and identity, but in recent years it has started to feel stale. Including decaying food was an exciting transition away from idealized depictions in my past work, an evolution mirrored by a trio of butterflies.

Vanitas No. 3 concludes this transition with an overflowing cascade of my favorite fruits – wax apples and peaches. It pays homage to Taiwan and California, two places I call home since my loved ones are there. It is also a fun excuse to draw some juicy, colorful fruits. They are at their peak ripeness and may bruise tomorrow, but their transience should not impede our enjoyment.