being a Chinese girl

featuring Grace Ko, Ange Kong, Gwen Lin

being a Chinese girl feels like putting on layers of 

bruised skin, thick skin, fragile skin, and then shedding it. 

an identity crisis every day. 

how do i make my eyes look bigger today? 

or my hair less black? 

how many white boys do i have to date before i can find myself appealing? 

the blacker my hair and the smaller my eyes, 

the closer i am to the girl who they think i am. 

a Chinese girl. 

who is she? 

a Chinese girl. 

that is me.

- Crystal Chen

being a Chinese girl means

having something to grow into.

like having paws that are too

big and clumsy now but will one

day help you run the fastest.

like having pants that are too

big now but will one day be the

pair you can't live without. 

like having a cultural identity that

you once rejected and thought

was the ugly part of you but has

now become your superpower.

- Grace Ko

an artist & her art

@ hansa studios exhibition 7-10th December, 171 Karangahape Road, Tamaki Makaurau