Becoming Myself

NEWS

August 2026

I was introduced to Nü Shu for the first time in the spring of 2025. During a workshop I attended, the teacher showed us how to write the words ‘women, life, and freedom’ in Nü Shu. I instantly fell in love with this beautiful language, created by my intelligent and resilient female ancestors whose names were never recorded in history. Their story deeply inspired me. At a time when women in China were denied access to education, their desire for communication and connection remained undiminished, so they created a language of their own. When they had no access to paper or ink, they wrote on the ground, using sticks as their pens. Nü Shu is the only known writing system in the world that was created and used exclusively by women.

After learning the history of Nü Shu, I decided that I wanted the words ‘women, life, and freedom’ tattooed on my body in Nü Shu as both a personal motto and a reminder of why I am here, where I come from, and how fortunate I am. I eventually got the tattoo in the spring of 2026. Since then, my life has changed in many ways, and I have grown into a more mature person. I believe that the purpose of personal growth is to discover who you truly are and to become that person. Everything I have experienced has brought me closer to my true self.

In this work, I draw on my own story and body as sources of inspiration. I portray my body as a mother-of-pearl shell, using it as a metaphor for personal growth. Just as a pearl is formed through layers of time and countless tides, a person becomes their true self only by moving through life's challenges. I dyed the silk using natural dyes and hand-embroidered onto the soft sculpture. I intentionally embraced a simple, slightly imperfect aesthetic, reflecting the idea of a work in progress. It represents the ongoing process of becoming who I am.