Table for One

Enchang Fan, Kahlia Hsieh, Cristine Huang, Chau Huynh, Lisa Nguyen, Kaitlyn Vong

Our group initially bonded as individuals with similar cultural backgrounds rooted in the neighboring countries of China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. As we explored deeper into our commonalities, we established a shared interest in wanting to showcase our feelings of longing for a sense of familiarity that we are now distant from as members of the Asian diaspora in a predominantly white, Western society. As college students and Asian Americans, we experience both a physical separation from our immediate families along with a deeper sense of detachment and displacement from our ancestral roots. Through the symbolic use of the dinner table, along with other aspects like smell and audio, we aimed to recreate the warm atmosphere we long for.

We found it fitting to use brown paper and cardboard to recreate Asian dishes and construct the lazy Susan dining table; these materials help to symbolize the wishful attempt to preserve feelings of home, yet in an inauthentic form. To approach the juxtaposition between family dining and college life, we emphasized an isolated spot at the table with a white chair and a newspaper rug, while the family side features a cardboard rug and brown chairs. On the college side, only a single cup of ramen sits, and though it is real food, it is a far cry from a home-cooked Asian meal. By evoking our inner desire to reconnect with our cultural heritage through collaborative creation, we developed invaluable connections and newfound skills that brought us closer to who we are.