THERE IS NO MAP  没有地图 (2019)

“The Chinese phrase “没有地图” translates to "There is No Map.” For third culture kids growing up in today’s globalized world, there is no clear map to guide through the cultural growing pains that might be experienced. After a trip to Croatia, I was struck by the minimalist wayfinding signs that were designed with universal icons for all travelers to comprehend.

I integrated these wayfinding icons in this piece to guide the viewer on how to fold the map back up. Once opening the map, a memory book is revealed to show imagery of temporary homes, such as a hammock as a makeshift bed and a nostalgic kite from my childhood home in Chengdu, China. The map is signed on the back with both my English and Chinese names, reflecting my multicultural identity.

The map is signed on the back with both my English and Chinese names, reflecting my multicultural identity. Instead of drawing the characters of my Chinese names myself, I asked my parents to handwrite my name in Chinese which was more meaningful since they were the ones who gave me that name.

I made the front and back of my final project map by screen printing black acrylic paint onto tan paper to give the map an aged feel, and also made the book inside the map by screen printing white acrylic paint onto black paper. I ended up creating 40 prints and gave them as "party favors" to friends and family that I care about.

This piece was featured in the digital “Home Is” exhibition in Spring 2020 which can be viewed here.