Moon and Navel is a series I started creating in the past two years after I began turning my attention back to myself. During years of frequent moves, I often thought about my relationship with my hometown, with my parents, and with myself. I kept wondering why my hometown and my family feel like the moon to me, something distant I can hold onto rather than something present all the time. Perhaps it is because of my queer identity and the life I live that is not what they expected, which always puts a soft veil between us.

At the same time, even though I feel out of place with my parents and my upbringing, I cannot let go of the parts of myself they have shaped. In fact, the challenges and pressures they brought have also given my life a kind of soil to grow from. I feel an invisible umbilical cord between us, always connecting me to them. This is where the name Moon and Navel comes from.

In this series, I explore my sense of identity, look back at my “factory settings”, and reflect on the close and tender connections with my family and my partner.