Shrine of the Blonde, the Cock, and the Electric Service

My parents came to America from Vietnam to search for their American Dream. Just like most immigrants who come to this country, they all strive to be financially successful. Both of my parents work day and nights, even if that means not being able to attend our graduations or important school events. Their love for us is what motivated them to continue to endure many obstacles, in hopes that my siblings and I would not have to go through the similar struggles they had faced in their country. It is common for Asian families to display a statue of this god and worship him within their homes. As the god of wealth, it is believed within Asian culture that by worshipping he would embrace you with his wealth and fortune. The god stands there surrounded...

Grand father Buddha is shown sitting on a stump. He has the time now to contemplate the world. The pipe becomes a sign of meditation but also a sign of danger and death. At any moment his life may go up in smoke. If one meditates for too long within the sweet smell of tobacco , their lungs will blacken in time. With wisdom comes foolishness. Ông bố Phật được ngồi trên một gốc cây. Anh ấy có thời gian để chiêm ngưỡng thế giới. Đường ống trở thành dấu hiệu của thiền nhưng cũng là dấu hiệu nguy hiểm và cái chết. Bất cứ lúc nào cuộc sống của anh có thể tăng lên trong khói. Nếu người ta thiền quá lâu trong mùi thuốc lá ngọt ngào, phổi của họ sẽ đen lại theo thời gian. Với sự khôn ngoan đến ngu...

This shrine honors not only the all knowing concept of the "third eye", but also the concept of eyes on the back of my head. Surveillance cameras gives us knowledge. It centers us in place surrounded by the knowledge of inside and outside of our world. The glass swirls remind us that our sense of identity is circular. We swirl in the ego trying to center ourselves. We exist with both an internal identity and an external Identity.

There is a Japanese proverb that regards to a person’s identity. That saying goes like this, humans have three faces, which means that the first face is what you show to strangers that you come across. The second face is what you show to those you love such as your close family and friends. The third face is what you show only to yourself. This is the truest representation of you. The crystal statue of the woman also has three faces. The woman’s face in the left is what she shows to other people. This side of her is physically peeking outside of the crystal, and this can be interpreted as a facade that she has when she meets other people. When you meet people, strangers or acquaintance, you try to make the best impression which can result in you...

A Buddhist temple is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. Một ngôi chùa Phật giáo là nơi thờ phượng cho Phật tử, tín đồ Phật giáo. Chúng bao gồm các cấu trúc được gọi là vihara, bảo tháp, wat và chùa ở các vùng và ngôn ngữ khác nhau. Đền thờ trong Phật giáo đại diện cho vùng đất thuần khiết hoặc môi trường thuần khiết của một vị Phật.

According to local legends, all Datuks were once humans who had a standing in society either for their position or special attributes. They could have been an important leader, a renowned healer, a silat warrior, a pious man or even a shaman. Upon their death, locals and their followers would sometimes offer prayers at their gravestones, in line with the concept of keramat. Local Malay culture prior to the arrival of a more conservative brand of Islam practised the paying of respects to guardian spirits or penunggu which is believed to reside in seemingly 'unusual' natural formations; a unique shaped rock, an ant mount, a snake's nest, an extraordinarily large tree etc. Theo truyền thuyết địa phương, tất cả Datuks đã từng là những người đã có một vị trí...

The statue that reflects the relationships between a husband and his wife What may seem like a lover's quarrel is instead a tender moment between a husband and his beloved wife. Although they face away from each other with piercing gazes, their vision eventually meet and so does the future that they see in the distance. The saying “words coming in one ear and out the other” is not the scenario for this couple. The wife covers one ear with a fan to retain the conversation and lends her other ear for her husband. She does not let the outside noise distract her from her the words of her trusted husband. Whereas, the husband’s head is about to explode with wisdom and his only outlet is sharing it to his wife who understands him. The wise man protects...

Red sandcastles and children   Close up (Dave's Story) This is the shrine dedicated to Dave's red hot sisters who have enabled him to be the 'Prince of Princes". This sister's wisdom, humility and beauty have guided and empowered him to take on the world. Though his heart is gentle he has learned to push forward in the world with smiles and charm. (Câu chuyện của Dave) Đây là ngôi đền dành riêng cho các chị em nóng bỏng của Dave, người đã giúp anh trở thành "Hoàng tử của Hoàng tử". Sự khôn ngoan, khiêm nhường và vẻ đẹp của chị gái này đã hướng dẫn và trao quyền cho anh ta để nhận lấy thế giới.

The city is crowded with not only people but also noises and distractions that fills the air. However, those who grow up in those type of environment can appreciate the chaotic noises as if it is music to their ears. Within the various pictures that hang around the boy, may seem like a disorganized mess, but are an actual subtle representation that is associated with the concept of the urban lifestyle. The picture of the building reminds you of the skyscrapers that consume the majority of the city. The car that can be seen hanging behind the boy, is to illustrate the fast-pace and busy lives in the urban areas. It common to see a large number of cars because of the need to always be or go somewhere. It is also important to notice the lack of...

Bottles and Haircuts Closeup Beauty inside the vessels The shrine of the kitties A barbershop is a common place where people are able to have conversations and an opportunity to build connections. Words spoken between a barber and their clients are not only to discuss the desired haircut, but also to talk about themselves. The time in which a person gets their haircut, a conversation is most likely to spark in order to get rid of the silence. The barber is not only concentrated on cutting their clients’ hair but also the stories and problems that pours out of the client’s mouth. This workplace becomes a safe setting that makes it easier for a barber to hear their clients speak about their memories, their worries, and there lives. What makes this environment...

The white faded bike is a representation of life Albert Einstein had said “Life is like riding a bike. To keep your balance you must keep moving”. It is important to stroll through the various experiences you will or had in life and to not dwell on the past. If you were to put the brakes on your bike, it would be impossible to keep your momentum. As we continue to move forward, we try to find our own path while balancing the different types of responsibilities that weigh on our shoulders. Whether your path is down a bumpy road or filled with signs pointing toward many different possible destinations, in the end, it is up to you to make the decision of where you want to be. Although being steady is not always going to be the case, when you fall,...

Santa arrives with his sack. This is a shrine about vessels and joy. A vessel is mother. It is place we go to be nurtured and replenished. We generally are rewarded with gifts and joy from both Santa's sack and mother's vessels. Ông già Noel và hai chiếc bình ông già Noel phía sau tấm quà của ông già Noel, ông già Noel đến với bao của ông. Đây là một ngôi đền về tàu thuyền và niềm vui. Một con tàu là mẹ. Đó là nơi chúng ta được nuôi dưỡng và bổ sung. Chúng tôi thường được thưởng bằng quà tặng và niềm vui từ cả hai bao của ông già Noel và tàu mẹ.

Childhood is a one of a kind experience that everybody goes through. A more innocent time where one is allowed to be naive and explore the world for their first time. The little girl tilts her head slightly, not only as a sign of confusion but also to see the world in a perspective that she has never seen before. Her eyes widen towards the camera. Because like the camera, both the camera and the child stores information and data in their frail little memories, waiting to combust and show the world how it feels to be through their lenses/eyes. However, unlike the camera, she keeps her mouth shut. Unable to demonstrate to the world her emotions and her perspectives. Tragically, she is unable to add anything to the world due to no fault of her own....

The similarity between these three statues is that they are illustrating Buddha. These statues all have a different color and concept to their own interpretation on how to portray Buddha. The color chosen for these statue reminds me of my siblings and I. My brother reminds of the red one due to his easily triggered personality. One of his faults lies in trusting in his anger as a solution to his problems. As he slowly matures he has been learning to let things go. The clam face on the red Buddha statue is what I hope my brother will be able to become when he truly controls his anger. The green one represents me. Although I am calm and I don’t have pent up anger, I struggle to find motivation and inspiration. I relax to the point that it becomes hard for me...

The bride is in an extravagant traditional Chinese wedding dress for women. In western and modern culture, white has been the traditional color for the brides to wear. However, red symbolizes good luck in Asian culture, which is why the brides would wear the bright color. Marriage is an important aspect of growing up, and it is also commonly expected of a couple before they officially start a family together. The idea to proclaim your love for one each other in front of your friends and family is a way to bring both sides of the couple’s families together. My mother and my father’s story is a bit different. When my parents met, they were sure they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. After a couple month of meeting each other, my...

The LGBTQ community has been struggling to make steady progress throughout the years with the growing acceptance within the American society. However, for the progress of the acceptance of the LGBTQ, there need to be changes. These changes lie within our perspectives and approach for the normalcy of the community. In order to create changes, we must think and follow different paths or roads that have not been thought of or have been created before. The vibrant and colorful wheels of the bike are the colors representing the LGBTQ. Cats and mouse are typically viewed as animals that do not get along with one another, however, in this picture they are both riding on the same bike heading toward in the same direction. This cat and mouse representation can be...

The statue of the older woman looks as if she blends in with the surrounding. As the years of her youth slowly goes by, she loses her vibrancy in her appearance and in her mind. The responsibility of becoming an adult had worn her out. The older a person becomes, the less amount of freedom they truly have. It is a result of being tied down to responsibilities such as work, family, and earning money. Children would not have to care for these things because they have their parents who take care of it for them. When children progress and become older, they are faced with many different challenges that wear them out. It is inevitable and inescapable that everyone gets old. The older you get the more your mind and physical body lacks the energy that...

The Shrine of the Five eyes contains the eyes of the eagle, the butterfly, and the never blinking mono eye. The eagle sees the world from soaring above it and zooming down to examine the smallest of prey. The butterfly flutters through the world at close range. She is a deliverer of love and fertility as she moves from flower to flower exchanging pollen as gifts. The unblinking mono eye looks at the world from one vantage point. It transmits its vision through electric optic nerves. It never eats. It only warns of danger. The Shrine of the Five eyes chứa đôi mắt của con đại bàng, con bướm và đôi mắt không bao giờ nhấp nháy. Con đại bàng nhìn thế giới bay lên trên nó và phóng to xuống để kiểm tra con mồi nhỏ nhất. Con bướm lướt qua thế giới ở cự...