Michele Chau

BFA  W2021

Graphic Design Program

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Artist Statement

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Dim Sum means family, reunions, and unity. Eating together and sharing meals is our love language. We don't need to say "I love you" verbally, because love is already in our food. My mom will spend hours to days cooking the most delicious meals because she would never want her children to experience hunger like she has. A big part of my connection to my Chinese heritage is through each meal my mom prepared for us.

Growing up I had a total identity crisis. I didn't know how I fit into this world because I wanted to be like everyone else. I was tired of crying because a kid in the lunch room thought my steamed bao was weird and smelly. Something that I loved eating made me ashamed to unwrap around others who would ostrasize me for coming from a different culture.

Chinese food is famous for all the wrong reasons. A new kind of cuisine was born called American Chinese food, catered to western tastes. To many Americans, this is what Chinese food is; neon sweet battered orange chicken and bland fried rice. To me, Chinese food is a labor of love. Each meal is highly nutri­tous and equally as delicous. Creating a full experience of a dim sum restaurant will bring awareness to the Cantonese food culture. Due to the lack of authentic dim sum restaurants, many Chinese immigrants are missing a piece of home.