The context of my work is woven together from my identity as an Asian American, a woman, and a mother. I am interested in cultural inheritance, cultural shifts, and societal pressures on personal culture. Crucial to my art practice is extensive research to inform the context and content of my work. It is my exploration of social justice, history and current discourse that inspires my work. To tell the story of my family’s immigrant experience in the early 1900s, I incorporate imagery drawn from a rich resource of old family photos, immigration documents, letters, and cultural icons. I layer my visual vocabulary of images and text to bring light to how our lives and experiences overlap creating a narrative that connects us all at a human level telling our collective stories. Critical immigration issues summon childhood memories of relatives who lived in fear of the government and deportation due to their “paper son” status. It is an agonizing existence that takes a toll on the families who are affected for generations. I want to question, investigate and generate a dialogue as I explore immigration, race, identity, diversity, inclusion, gender and equality in the context of history, our memories and today. www.malpinachan.com
