Detachment
I came to the U.S. at 17, and my parents emigrated from China last year—a move that has left me feeling emotionally displaced. Beijing, where I grew up and where my friends still are, no longer feels like home, though it remains the root of my identity. Staying here means being disconnected from my culture and loved ones; going back would mean leaving my parents behind in New Jersey. Detachment, a series of self-portraits taken in unfamiliar public spaces around New York and in my parents’ home, reflects this inner conflict. Through light, space, and repetition, the images express feelings of isolation, numbness, and a search for belonging.