QUEER CHI

This portrait series was taken in mid-March, the week Los Angeles was placed in quarantine due to the global pandemic. It was my last group gathering before lockdown, and I am grateful it was with these angels. This portrait series highlights the faces of the queer, trans, and nonbinary Chinese diaspora I am privileged to share spiritual and artistic community with.

I had the pleasure of meeting Aus Wang (she/her), an actress, model, and musician, during a casting session last year. I wanted to collaborate with her because she has the most incredible energy and instincts as a performer. My second angel is Jasmine Lin (they/them), a performance artist, dancer, and movement facilitator. I find their work so inspiring, and we have bonded over shared interests in unearthing queer characters and stories in Chinese folklore and mythology. My third angel is Stella Deng (she/her), a painter, model, and art director. She was. We have had many late-night conversations talking about love, Chinese heritage, ghosts, magic, and other witchy things.