SO WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

“SO WHERE ARE YOU FROM?” is an installation that confronts the weight of a seemingly simple question, one often loaded with assumptions, microaggressions, and the denial of belonging. Rendered in large, imposing laser-cut letters in condensed, all-caps type, the piece amplifies the aggression embedded in the phrase, forcing viewers to confront its impact head-on.

Inspired by personal experiences of passing for multiple ethnicities and navigating the layered assumptions of others, this work transforms a question into a monumental presence. The installation echoes the discomfort, frustration, and alienation of being repeatedly asked this question—especially when initial answers are dismissed with demands for “Where are you really from?”

By enlarging and isolating the phrase, the piece challenges viewers to experience the question as more than words: as an intrusion, a confrontation, and a reflection of bias. It serves as both an expression of lived experience and an invitation to examine the ways we assign identity and belonging based on appearances, challenging the audience to sit with the discomfort of that exchange.