I make fiber art installations and soft sculptures with hand-woven ropes from used clothes and linens donated by family and friends. Introducing different cultural references in patterns and colors from all over the world, I mix them into a linear rope form as a gesture toward interconnection. With wires inside, those ropes are composed to be touchable sculptures and installations.

After a few years of starting this series, I made a surprising discovery about my family's history. My mother, upon seeing my work, remarked that it was interesting that I was making ropes "like I'm supposed to." It turns out, my grandmother's family was a rope manufacturer. This unexpected connection added a deeper layer of meaning to my art.

In recent years, I have found emotional comfort in weaving ropes as a meditative ritual, wishing for a peaceful, nonviolent society. The structure of ropes fascinates me, as braiding two opposing forces creates strength.

My new project, "Untangle it" represents a call to action for gently solving confusions intertwined in our society. I have a mixed-race, multicultural daughter who was painfully confused about racial tension and her identity. As I, an Asian mother, sat and untangled her African-descent curly hair, I gently and carefully answered her questions. I was unsure if my answers were the best or how much I could unpack, just as I did not know how to detangle her hair. I learned a lot from talking to neighbors and trying different ways patiently and very delicately. Our current social issues are all so complex, yet I can’t stop hoping that collaborative actions can untangle them one by one and little by little when we deal with them delicately.

These experiences, while personal, are also universal. I hope the community can connect with the everyday moment and feel the warmth of the fabric textures and myriad patterns from all over the world.

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2024 PolicyLink Equity Summit

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