Who Are We?
Public Intervention - Finding Ourselves (2022)
WHO ARE WE is an intervention shedding light on the hardship of how young generation of Asian Australians define their identities. It aims to socially unite and strengthen the community together to show solidarity and to encourage young Asian Australians to be proud of their multicultural upbringing.
By locating it at Tumbalong Park near the Chinese Garden of Friendship, the prism-like intervention stands out as an architecture in between the western and eastern worlds, just like young Asian Australians. The exterior of the prism is constructed out of concrete to provoke the unrefined sense of self. Yet, on the inside, mirrors are installed to create an infinite space where visitors can search for their identity within them and conveys the never-ending journey in discovering who we are. René Magritte’s famous painting Not to Be Reproduced inspires the use of mirror in this project reflects the painting’s message of challenging the stereotypical perceptions of identity by society.
Connect.
The public seatings around the main prism allow users to socially connect, exchange experiences, and offer guidance and empathy.
Share.
A comment board is also installed onsite for users to share their stories, inspiring others and essentially encouraging the community to build a stronger bond.
Reflect.
Side panels of the intervention box provide statistics and information about identity crisis and its negative impact.
The interior of the box, an infinite-mirrored, reflects the complexity of identity development and acts as a space of mind for users to rethink and seek their sense of self.
The intervention is more than just an experience but a memory to take away. The intervention’s anchor given to visitors is a mirror embedded with the name of this temporary event, acting as a constant reminder of our selfdefined identity. To further support those who are struggling with identifying themselves and to create a sustainable future, the public seatings and comment boards around allow visitors to take the time there to connect and encourages different generations to share their experience.
