My name is Miao and I am Chinese American. I currently attend School of the Future High School. I am from New York City and China. I was born in Manhattan but China is where I took my first step, said my first word, and went to school for the first time. Because of that China has a special place in my heart.
I have a broad range of interests because I love learning and trying new things. Academically, I like science (mostly chemistry) and biology, math, history (global and American), and reading. Volleyball is the first sport I’ve ever played and I fell instantly in love with it. I also love fashion, experimenting with makeup, and drawing.
Art is a way I can express myself since I am shy. I love that there are no set rules about what art is. Anything can be art. In the future I hope to become a fashion designer and go to art school. Alexander McQueen, Marchesa, Jason Wu, and Marc Jacobs are my inspirations and who I look up to the most.
Miao’s Artwork
AIR Project
YI Artists worked with artist in residence LaToya Ruby Frazier to create photographs that documented their changing neighborhoods, selves, and a variety of public spaces in New York City. They examined the effects of advertising on society and the ways that individuals make every day choices. Teens also watched and discussed excerpts from the documentaries Century of the Self and the British series 7 UP to further understand the links between propaganda, advertising, and the ways in which social class affect an individual’s future.
Miao’s Artist Statement
Growing up, I followed what was considered the norms in society, because that was what was portrayed in the media. I didn’t question it. I allowed the media to form the way I thought. There was a pattern in how race and gender were portrayed: the men were the ones who made the money while the women stayed home to tend the children and to clean. People of different races were portrayed in the media in ways that didn’t always represent who they were, but I didn’t understand that so I assumed things about people. The media has made me judge people based on their looks and how they speak rather than the message they want to get across.
Picture of my friend: The way this photograph came out surprised me most because she was playing volleyball at that moment. The way the light hits my friend and the way her hair flows make her look different than she normally does. In this image she is girly, but she is often considered a tomboy. Her natural beauty truly shines in this picture.
Picture of a place I am comfortable in: For the past ten years I have lived on this block, and I consider it home. About two years ago, a few businesses closed down. A few bars and a gallery took their place, changing the vibe of this block. It was once a quiet peaceful block but it became a place for many non-Asians to socialize. The block is often loud and filled with people smoking cigarettes. Coming back to this block, I feel like my home is disappearing. This block has become foreign to me and I no longer have a real home.
