2025

mild steel, aluminum, silk, wood, rechargeable lightbulbs, spray paint

Constructed from mild steel and assembled by hand through cutting, folding, and riveting, this piece mirrors the form of a Chinese takeout box while subverting its disposability through weight and permanence.

Perforated patterns on the sides reference traditional Chinese silk brocade, echoed in the fabric beneath the sculpture. This textile ties ancestral craftsmanship to personal memory—my mom taking me to Oakland Chinatown each Lunar New Year to pick out a new cheongsam. Once reserved for the elite, this fabric is now mass-produced and widely available in low-quality imitations across Asia and the U.S.

This piece critiques the appropriation of Chinese aesthetics, where traditional patterns are repackaged as fast fashion by brands like Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters, marketed as “Oriental” or “Asian-inspired.” The scale and material underscore the overwhelming power of capitalism in flattening culture into a trend. Eat It Up is both a personal reclamation and a broader confrontation—an invitation to reflect on what, and who, is being consumed.