Through the Crevice
Mi Chen
Our early experiences with our family-of-origin have a major influence on how we see ourselves, others, and the world, and how we behave in our daily lives. However, the influence can sometimes be toxic and negatively affect who we are when we grow up.
Through the Crevice is a book comprised of transcriptions from an interview-based video that collects four people’s traumatic experiences with their family and how they impact their adulthood, and documentation of a virtual exhibition — a reproduction of my childhood home that displays the artworks inspired by my own traumatic family memories. The artworks are placed in the rooms where specific incidents took place in order to restore the authenticity of memories, while the furniture inside the exhibition is left without materiality and color with the intention of creating an obscure and cold, yet familiar environment. The recollections behind each piece are hidden inside the folded pages of the book. By tearing them open, readers encounter the personal narratives of the traumatic incidents.
This project is a personal exploration of traumatic memories through various situations in which family brings negative influence on us that might seem subtle and invisible, aiming to alert the audiences who find themselves in similar situations, no matter the role they play in their family—parents or child.