#Stickybias

Inspired by contemporary Chinese artists Xu Bing and Hu Yang, #stickybias blends social commentary with contemporary photography practice, exploring the intersection of social studies and artistic creation. Xu Bing’s integration of traditional Chinese woodblock printing with installations frames my investigation into my cultural identities expressed through design, calligraphy, and printmaking. Hu Yang’s 1991 book, Shanghai Living, documents hundreds of Chinese families, influencing my practice as a visual artist working primarily with digital photography. This project extends #stickybias into social media, advocating for social inclusion and cultural diversity, emphasizing the importance of these values in our society.

Rooted in Asian youth sub-culture fashion, #stickybias is a photo-based study collaborating with participants to facilitate critical conversation in public spaces such as traditional galleries and social media platforms. It seeks to cultivate a community for youth facing social exclusion and discrimination. The exhibition features contemporary graphic design based on Chinese calligraphy, wearable stickers, and participatory projection photo booths, inviting the public to “try on” sub-cultural fashion and empathize with oppressed youths. Embracing sub-cultural fashion aesthetics, particularly tattooing with Chinese calligraphy, this project deconstructs negative stereotypes, transforming them into aesthetically pleasing “fake tattoos'' that engage the audience as advocates for subcultural youth on social media with #stickybias.