9_9 - A Skira Publication

The above photo is the book cover of the visual novel titled 9_9 published by Skira. While the portraits in the main body are "dual-self-portraits", this image captures the theme as I am the protagonist, author/director/photographer, and co-subject in a project produced during a 3-year long journey encompassing meetings with over 150 artists. The "dual-self-portraits" all feature myself and "the other" to express a shared essence at the moment when the portrait was taken. Several communications/meetings usually take place prior to the shoot. Art became a point in common in an exchange which is crystallised in a portrait. Through this project, I explore my identity as a female, foreign artist in Italy, entering into the other's space via a self-timer. Of course, it would be impossible to exclude my background from the story. I was born in Hong Kong, lived for over 20 years outside of Hong Kong (US and UK mainly then a brief stint in Singapore) while my family lived somewhere else. Yet I have always felt a strong sense of belonging in Italy...So, if I were to spend most of my time in Italy, "how would I fit in?"

Published in 2017