Cathy Lu
7.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches
Porcelain
2020
           
Statement 
My work manipulates traditional Chinese objects as a way to deconstruct the assumptions we have about Asian American identity and cultural authenticity. By creating ceramic based sculptures and large scale installations, I explore what it means to be both Asian and American, while not being entirely accepted as either. Unpacking how experiences of immigration, cultural hybridity and assimilation become part of the larger American identity is central to my work.
 
My process involves slip casting, hand-built forms, and found forms to create installations. I am also interested in the cultural values we place on certain materials and processes—hand made vs. mass produced—as a framework to explore the authenticity of an object in relation to culture. I am not only interested in the object and what it represents, but am equally intrigued by the contexts in which we experience those objects.