Asian American Life: The (Art)Work of Balance by Melissa Moy is a video piece showcasing what the artist considers to be the work of her life: maintaining a balance between her Asian and American cultural identities. The juxtaposition of traditionally Asian elements and traditionally American elements reveal a contrast in meaning, history, and aesthetic. As the piece progresses, a surprising union emerges, as the elements mix to create something new. The artist forms her identity from the parallel ideas of what she should be that society surrounds her with. These ideas surface in the subtle, intimate matters of life that sink under our skin: food, holidays, social events, and even home decor.
Asian American Life: The (Art)Work of Balance shows a work in progress. It is also a work that finds art in its formation process rather than having any goal for a comprehensive or settled identity. There is a comfortable beauty to the balancing act that comes through in the artist’s humorous approach and candid shots of daily life, and the casual style invites the viewer to relate their cobbled identities, contemplating their own artworks of balance in a world of remixed culture.