Monuments Tour

Identity is dynamic and constantly shifting, but the symbols defining "American-ness" are often slow-changing and rooted in the past. Static representations of identity can lead to a sense of dissonance and invisibility for many communities in the United States. Using long exposure photography, I've attempted to explore this idea of dissonance by capturing images in which statues are clear and in focus, while human faces are blurry. The idea is that our symbols of history and patriotism tend to privilege static images of the past rather than dynamic, living humans of the present. Using my family members as subjects, I hope to bring attention to the fact that Asian American experiences and historic contributions, in particular, lack representation. In the last image, the symbol of "American-ness” - the flag - is also blurred.