KINSHIP

Growing up in post-war Vietnam, generational trauma cemented the need in each of us to define family by an obligation to uphold ideals of loyalty, responsibility, and acceptance. While this gave us a strong sense of community and security, it was also a burden. I grew up viewing family as both a safety net and the need for separation.

 

At a young age, I learned to understand that most things have another underlying implication, another intention. Nothing is entirely one thing. So there’s always lurking tension, unresolved issues that can be triggered, who knows by what. I just knew that there were emotional landmines that could explode at any time. Unable to know what the context of the situation really was, I learned to cope with the anticipation of explosions by observing nonverbal cues so I could avoid them in the future.

 

This sequence of photographs is a visual exploration of my memories. Like memories, the photographs are fragments, closeups, and inconsistent frames. The scenes are staged and take place in minimal anonymous space. They are inspired by my early memories which carry tension and stress. The work explores misconnection, the void, tolerance, and contradiction, all within a familiar context. The images reveal the minimal context of the story or relationships, at the same time anticipating something that may be going on outside the frame, which reflects the experience of my younger self.