2017, digital photography of water, coffee grind on an Ikea plate
“得其环中，以应无穷。” – 《庄子·齐物论》
“From the center of the circle, one sees infinity. ” – Zhuangzi
“The Name of Change” series is a visual documentation of my own internal struggles of finding a new cultural identity when I first immigrated to New York. I wanted to create the spirit of Chinese ink paintings with the materials I have on hand. Newly introduced to my partner’s daily routine of making coffee in the morning, I had to throw away lots of coffee grind every day. The repetitive act of making coffee, grinding, brewing, pouring water, throw out the grind, and start all over again the next day, is both boring and therapeutic. Without a job during the day, I saved the coffee grind and put it on a shallow IKEA plate of water, and started to “draw” with the coffee grind. Quickly, I noticed because how lightweight the grinds is, it is half of my drawing and half of the water’s weight that is creating ever-changing patterns that are appearing on the plate. This tension and relationship are strikingly similar to making ink painting, in which one has to allow the natural force to be part of the creative process. It forced me to let go of my own fixations and trust the process of change. And there, unexpectedly, in the almost mindless everyday act hidden right in front me, I stumbled upon a very Chinese revelation from materials that are far from home.