Homework

(In progress)

Photography has long been a way for me to navigate personal history and relationships. I began by photographing those closest to me — my family — as a way of anchoring myself within the familiarity of shared experiences. Over time, this process grew less frequent, as the constraints of distance, lockdowns, and shifting circumstances reduced our opportunities to be together. This pause urged me to look beyond the immediate, to push myself into the wider community, and to find connections within the larger narrative of Chinese Australian life.

The foundation for Homework lies in this deliberate branching out from my comfort zone. With the guidance of a National Library of Australia commission, I focused on Chinese heritage in Australia, reflecting on how cultural traditions are preserved, adapted, and celebrated in this context.

Initially, I retraced personal memories — confronting my old fears at my childhood Saturday Chinese School; visiting restaurants, parks, and grocery stores tied to my family’s history. These spaces held nostalgia but offered limited depth when engaged with from a distance. Photographing facades and fleeting impressions did not fulfill the connection I sought, nor did it represent the vibrant memories I had of the community I had grown up in. The work began to take shape as a byproduct of my confidence in my own Chinese Australian identity and how authentically I felt I belonged (or didn’t) in these spaces.

Eventually, I turned back to the comfort of family. Returning to my parents’ home, I folded back into the comfort of family, and made photographs with my mum and sister, the three of us wearing my grandmother’s old cheongsams in the front yard. This photo best felt like what I was looking for —  a depiction of Chinese culture practiced in this so-called ‘Australian’ society, adapted into something unique, in and of itself.