Big Sis
My practice explores how video can express the experiences of the life of a young woman brought up by a Cambodian family in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The resulting videos document my everyday life in which I share a bunk bed with my cousin. Feminism and breaking gender norms have inspired this project. As someone still trying to find their identity at 21, I want to bring this awareness to my art practice. My experiences are so different to my mother’s and grandmother’s. A lot has changed. Change isn’t always easy. Big Sis values the bond between my younger cousin and myself and the importance of our support for each other. It acknowledges how comfortable we are with each other. I’ve become my cousin’s mentor - her big sister. While keeping our Cambodian culture alive, I’m also supporting her to discover herself. This process creates a comfortable environment that allows us to be free and open. The motivation for my artworks comes from my personal experiences of growing up in New Zealand in an Asian household. There are so many rules on how a woman should act and look to be a respectable lady. There are things you can’t or SHOULD not do, and I’m so tired of it.
