Artist Statement

The year 2020 was filled with ups and downs and I faced some of the hardest times from the dramatic changes that were caused by Covid-19. I coped with my difficulties by journaling through them. Last October, I lost an uncle that was very close to me. Through hard times, I was able to see how fortunate I am to be surrounded by friends and family. While reading my journals, I thought I was writing about dark times— events that are a low part of my life— but I later discovered in the writing that these events elevated my appreciation for those who are important to me.

Growth is a manifestation of my personal journey this past year. It shows my process of seeing my emotions through the examination of my journal. It unveiled how the growth of my appreciation for my friends and family grew. The internal part of the installation contains my random journal entries. It revealed how my admiration for the ones I care about grew during the hardest part of the year because they were always there when I needed them most. Each entry was an immediate response to my daily life coping with the sometimes chaotic, emotional rollercoaster. 

Audiences can associate these intimate reflection entries to each of the infographic data on the external wall. It reflects my way of seeing and understanding things. Spending more time with my family allowed me to watch my care for them grow. Positive emotions came out of hard times. Each bubble on the infographic represents an event that happened in my life; the circles branching out from the bubbles represent the negative and positive outcomes caused by that event. Each event on the infographic is color-coordinated with the emotions of the experience. The giant pink graphic in the middle shows how my appreciation for friends and family grew throughout the past year. Nothing can be purely positive or negative, but appreciation can always exist with every emotion because it is the middle ground of emotions. 

 I hope the audience would take the same journey to reflect on all the great things they have in their life and see how fortunate they are as well. Notepapers and pens are placed on the inner shelves of the installation. Audiences are encouraged to write what they are grateful for on the notepaper and hang it up on the right wall. Stickers located in a box on one of the outside shelves allow audiences to express their feelings by placing stickers on the elevated circles on the exterior wall. Sharing our appreciation is a great way to heal, help us grow, and build a stronger community.  

When life is good, we take for granted all that has been given to us. We should always stay optimistic and balance the ups and downs of our emotions. Especially during difficult situations, we could learn to appreciate what we have and find the light to see a better future.