ARTIST STATEMENT
The women in my family showed their love through food. “Have you eaten?” replaced “How are you” and a plate of cut fruit was equivalent to a hug.
My grandmother, Po, was the head of the family and keeper of our favorite family recipes – none of which were ever written down. Braised pork stew, Zhajiang noodles (birthday noodles), Sauteed kidneys, Clay Pot chicken, etc., we were blessed to eat a meal based on Po’s memories almost every day. Sometimes I was lucky enough to help with the cooking – which was often my only chance to piece together a recipe.
The altar is both a physical representation of the passing on of ancestral knowledge, and an offering of eternal gratitude to my grandmother and those who came before her.
I chose the dumpling form, not because it was her favorite recipe – although we did make it often as a family, but because it is shaped like an ancient gold ingot – of which the paper versions are now burned as offerings.
Now that Po has passed we celebrate her legacy and those who came before us by cooking those same beloved dishes and sharing her recipes with the next generation.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jen Lau is a Chinese- American artist based in Chicago. Her work explores the interplay between time and memory. Over the years she has investigated this theme through several lenses such as city life and the human figure. Most recently she has begun to incorporate family histories and the immigrant experience into her work.
Joining Agitator Co-operative Gallery in 2019 ignited her passion for uplifting under-represented voices. She strives to create community and understanding through art in Chicago and beyond.
Jen has shown in and curated multiple shows and murals through Agitator Gallery, Fulton Street Collective, Underground Art Collective, Rostrum312, A Dope Arts Show, Gallery Studio Oh!, Upstream Gallery, and more.
© Jen Lau