Sa Nguyen

 Dressing in Ao Dai, the Vietnamese traditional clothing, I explore the cultural heritage and social issues of Vietnam through the lens of my camera. I use objects that remind me of my homeland, such as a rice straw hat, incense, or currency, to draw a connection between the place that I came from and my current life in Nebraska, as well as to reflect on the struggles of the people that share my feelings and history.

In Split Rice, I obscure myself through the high contrast of light and shadow, as I feel lost in my crossed identities. While at the same time, like the black and white intertwining shapes in my photographs, I portray myself mingled in the entanglement of my thoughts and feelings that I have for my homeland.