Origin

This work focuses on containment, self reflection, and interior discovery. The form suggests something held, protected, or even cradled, emphasizing a sense of grounding and origin. At the same time, the partial opening introduces curiosity, an invitation to look inside, but maybe never fully accessing what is contained. This tension reflects the experience of navigating identity, particularly within a multicultural context, where aspects of self are both visible and obscured. The presence of the lotus symbolizes growth emerging from within, suggesting that identity is cultivated internally even when shaped by external environments. Themes of being seen and being withheld operate simultaneously as the viewer becomes aware of their role in searching and peering into/around the piece. The work resists full visibility, reinforcing the idea that identity cannot always be entirely revealed or simplified. Instead, it exists in layers: grounded yet evolving, contained as well as expanding beyond what is immediately seen.