Sandy Li

Collection BFA

EXHALE

My thesis is about dealing with stress and anxiety and looking at the psychology behind Chinese American families. I didn't realize how much stress and anxiety I have until being an adult, and alot of it stems from growing up as a Chinese American. Coming from an immigrant family I have many expectations put on to me. To the point that I didn't feel like I had a childhood. I had to grow up extremely fast to help my parents out.
There is alot of stress that comes from Immigration; leaving all that you are familiar with and coming to a foreign place is already stressful. Once arriving there are many other challenges and obstacles that come up such as language barriers, adjusting, and finding stability. Often this stress gets transferred to their childern. Through thesis I look into the parent-child relationships in Immigrant homes and revisit my experiences growing up in a Chinese American household.

Bio

My work is a direct reflection and representation of myself and my life experiences growing up as Chinese American. Growing up I didn't see alot of representation of myself in the media. I never felt like I fitted in with my peers or my family. Through my designs I get to tell those narratives and be the representation I never had.

There is often so many polar opposite themes in my life growing up. As a Chinese American there are these completely polar opposite cultures that I grew up around. I draw alot from these polarites and combine both Eastern and Western cultures through my designs.