My work aims to honour female identity and to respect other possible gender identities in order to oppose the discrimination and limitation supported by patriarchy. It combines tattooing techniques, an ancient method of conveying spirit and belief. I chose to tattoo female organs (womb, vulva and breasts) with a dark colour on an Asian woman’s portrait, which implies my race and female identity. This portrait is not a perfect and accurate photograph because I am sick of the many requirements that demand women to be the 'right' and 'appropriate' woman as defined by others. Meanwhile, the damage made by a needle on the photo's surfaces reminds viewers that gender issues are happening and keep making an impact in the real world. I have designed different patterns to represent the female organs in different conditions. It appeals to women to consider differences of cultural backgrounds or physical body situations between each other. A pattern describes a kind of life of a woman. A series of patterns depicts different types of female communities and shows the possibilities of a woman’s life wherever she comes from. I attempt to connect women from different races and cultural backgrounds and encourage them to reflect on their experiences and to seek things in common with other females’ lives. Women are sharing destinies structured by patriarchy. Meanwhile women also share their courage while living in an unfair world and striving to improve inclusivity in different societies. Women have not only sisterhood but also warriorhood.

Warrior Tattoo, 2020  

ink-jet prints, tattoo ink  

404 x 268 mm

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