Shrine of the Four Eyes

Shrine of the Four Eyes: Close-up

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.

Fanning Away the Outside Noises

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...

Grand Father Buddha

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....

City Boy

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...

Shrine of the Flower Boy and the Chinese Vase

      The Shrine of the Flower Boy and the Chinese Vase is about the joining of the innocence of boys and the recognition that the Flower vase is a vessel on love and seduction. The Boy is perched on the vase like a mother holding up her son as a gift to the gods. He is still young enough to play in her fertility and bath in her love. Đền thờ của Flower Boy và Vase...

Three Buddha Statues That Reflects Three Different Problems

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...

The Faded Statue of a Woman: Inevitable Changes that Happens to Everyone

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,...

Meditation on a Back Porch

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...

Life is like a Bike

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...

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

Our sense of power comes from being served.  We fantasize of service  from the female, the blonde maid with bountiful fruit at all levels of her presence, and the male cock, with his warrior like speech and sexuality. We are constantly measuring our power. Yet outside of the internal struggle for power and dominance sits the fawns waiting to be nurtured from the emerald glow of the...

God of Wealth

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...

Chinese Warrior

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...

A Statue that Differs from the Expectations of Light and Dark Colors

The dark face of deity’s contrast with the white surroundings. As a result, the statue draws in the attention to the details and intricate designs of the deity. The color black not only contrast with the white surroundings but also with the typical connotations that are associated with those colors. White is seen as the color of purity and holiness whereas, the color black is seen as...

The Quiet Child: An Unspoken Voice of a Child

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...

Santa and the Two Vases

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...

Big Lots Budda

Big Lots Buddha: Big Lots Buddha ôm lấy thế giới thặng dư. Thặng dư biểu thị cả sự giàu có và kỳ vọng chưa hoàn thành. Dư thừa của chúng tôi là lợi nhuận của bạn. Nếu không có dư thừa, chúng tôi sẽ không có cọc để tái chế hoặc tìm cách sử dụng và ý nghĩa mới cho những thứ trong cuộc...

Shrine of the Five Eyes

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...

Shrine of the Red Hot Sister

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...

Bottles of Emotions

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...