Am I/I Am
Installation
Installation
Installation
Installation
Installation
Installation
Installation
Installation
Installation
Typography, Other...
Designer(s)
Lily Do
Duration
30 Weeks
Recognitions
Am I/I Am is a pop-up installation that explores the hardships second generation Vietnamese-Canadians go through regarding our ethnic identity. Throughout the space, familiar Vietnamese household objects are recontextualized in relation to our feelings of intangible alienation.
There are many studies that express the disconnect second generation Vietnamese-Canadians feel with their Vietnamese identity when apart from their ethnic group, many of them feeling as though they are not “Vietnamese enough”. However, we have yet to thoroughly explore and discuss the second generation feeling disconnected from their Vietnamese identity even when with their ethnic group. Fluency in the language whether it be speaking or understanding is a common issue, and food preferences also have a large influence on one’s family’s judgment towards their ethnic identity.
Through Am I/I Am, we bring recognition towards the struggles second generation Vietnamese-Canadians go through in regards to their ethnic identity among their ethnic group and create a space for discussion. Forming a space for discussion creates connections of relatability, while also opening up opportunities for others to recognize and realize what second generation children are going through. Trying to figure out our ethnic identity as second generation Vietnamese-Canadians is difficult, and I hope that this pop-up brought comfort and reassurance that others are dealing with the same hardships.
