Art-Architecture

"FRC (Fire Resistant Clothing) Roses" (2025-2026): 

Initial Prototypes

There is an inherent violence to the prescribed uniforms of industrial plant workers - Fire Resistant Clothing jumpsuits and work gear, traditionally catered towards men (who are not occupied with the concept of style in any discernible regard). These roses (a bit messy here) were made with strips of old / donated FRC clothes -- twisted and glued into the shape of "roses." There is an irony to them in that they are likely made from fabric coated with or infused with chemicals that are detrimental to life.

These stem from my continued concept of "confronting the climate crisis in its own material vernacular." I love them, I believe that I will make them into wearables (like a broach, etc) and will continue their evolutions. 

"Oil and Gold" (2025-2026): 

Initial Prototypes

Inspired by my own theoretical arts piece on confronting the climate crisis through its own material vernacular, I wanted to utilize oil / petroleum and gold as mixed media in traditional visual arts pieces. The backgrounds of these canvases are painted in a blend of used petroleum-based oil and acrylics, and the gold initially utilized in the prototype is gold leaf. The gold leaf has a great material quality to it, however, was very difficult to get to lay cleanly. The 2nd prototype features a spray paint and stencil, which aesthetically came out much more visually appealing, although the initial shine of the gold leaf was not captured. Hopefully future iterations will build upon these designs to find a happy, aesthetic compromise!

These pieces speak to the intersection of oil, gold, colonialism, capitalism, biodiversity loss, and the very niche societal debate between ornamental non-natives and native plants. 

All except 1 are currently sold and in the hands of their wonderful patrons: The large dogwood painting on the far left is currently still available. Dimensions are 16 in x 20 in.

Monument to the Children of the Middle East
Murdered in my Name (2025)

This performance art / replicable + scalable ritual piece came out of a combination of a childhood spent in the shadow of 9/11 and decades of American intervention in the Middle East, as well as the inability to enact safety for the people of the Israeli and Palestinian territories, following Oct 7 in 2023 and the ensuing campaign in Gaza.

As a girl growing up in the countryside of Texas, I remember vividly creating flower potions and eating "Freedom Fries" -- this piece speaks to an adult manifestation and reaction to concepts like imagination, freedom, flowers, nationalism, and political propaganda,.

Monument Video 1 - Intro
Monument Video 2 - Initial Run Thru
Monument Video 3 - FULL RITUAL + REFLECTION

"At the Feet of the Mother:"
Iran Feminism / Vagina Flag :) (2023-2026)

Probably utilized more in Sunni Islam rather than Shia Islam, an important verse in the context of feminism in Islam is the "Hadith on Mothers", which states that paradise is at the feet of mothers, and you must be good to them. I juxtoposed this with more "Western"-friendly feminist design strategies (a minimalist diagram of a vagina), and used these elements to replace the Islamic nature of the Islamic Republic of Iran's flag.

As an Iranian-American, it has always been painful to have a relationship with Iran which is so close culturally yet so far politically, socially, and physically. This flag was made in part jest, in part frustration, and in part genuine design provocation -- creating something like this in Iran would likely be grounds for extreme punitive action on the part of the government. Alas, I'm an American, and am allowed (for the most part -- a bit of a slippery slope these days) freedom of speech and expression.

"On the Bones of Natives, Cursed "

Neon Sign Prototype (2023-2026)

Star Date Series: "Kill the Written Gods" (2021)

Piece explanation / background, intentionality, physical representation, and existing inspirations are available by clicking on the first document (top left) :)

"Crown of Thorns / Roses:"
Participatory Healing Monument (2020-2021)

co-design by & images courtesy of Audrey Chan

This piece was commissioned during the tumultuous "Black Lives Matter" protests, to create a visual and symbolic relationship between a historically white and historically black church in Houston, Texas.

Fundamentally, the design is two semicircles spaced across the city, but oriented towards one another, such that if they came together, they would create a complete circle -- a reminder that there cannot be one whole without the other. Each is made of 5 rectangular blocks of escalating heights and each has a rose garden at its center.

The arrangement of the blocks are an abstraction of the crown of Christ / a halo, and the incorporation of a rose garden with thorns is an homage to Christ's crown of thorns, as well as a promise for the creation of a better tomorrow.

A participatory healing element of the piece would encourage people to rest on and climb on the blocks, as well as to participate in tending to the garden -- watering it, feeding it, weeding it.

Inspirations for this piece come from the commissioned prompt to "reimagine two hands of different colors reaching out to hold one another," as well as from the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany by Peter Eisenman and Buro Happold.