I created my work based on my experiences as an international student, as I came to the U.S. from a small town with limited resources in China when I was 15 years old. Through my art, I show the insoluble distance between my family, my hometown and myself, the dilemmas I face as an international student, and people's obsession with the West in Chinese society. I want to depict small experiences and emotions, for I believe these are the major components of our lives. By fragmenting my old photos and memories, I want to create a familiar emotional experience that we can all share. With those small individual experiences and seemingly insignificant emotions, I want to connect and resonate with a broader audience and make a group's voice heard and understood.

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I painted with a muted color palette to show the faded memories and vague, mixed emotions. I mostly use composition to translate the distant relationships and silent atmospheres between my family and I. I also incorporate elements from Chinese art into my work, such as using simple indications to tell a full story. I want to achieve a sense of tranquility, which is an artistic conception that is highly praised in Asian Art.

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Growing up in a small underdeveloped city in China, those around me never thought they would matter in the art world, nor did they believe the world would like to hear their voice or listen to their stories. I want to tell the story of ordinary people's ordinary lives: the slight emotions and the insignificant events that shape our personalities and lives. By doing that, I wish to speak for these groups, to resonate with a broader audience, and to introduce art to more individuals, such as people in my hometown, for they can see themselves in my artwork.