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Dimensions: 5in x 62in x 5in
Materials: Yellow Heart, Walnut, bleached Box Elder stones

While on a hike, I found a branch with tufts of Wolf Lichen neatly arranged in a line. Lichens are a symbiotic organism that require two (sometimes more) separate organisms to exist- a fungus and an algae or cyanobacteria.

In this piece, the yellow “lichen” represents my exterior. Each box represents a certain time in my life and is filled with stones that indicate how I identified on the inside and the number of white people I lived with at the time. The small box on the left represents my time in South Korea. The second box is when I was adopted by my white family in America. The other boxes progress to the present. My spouse is caucasian, and I asked my kids how they identify. They said white.

I am not saying anything negative about my life. I’m just giving a visual representation of what it’s like to look yellow but feel white. I was adopted, and I needed a “symbiotic relationship” for me to become the person I am and I’m grateful for my experiences.

Notes: Clean with a dry cloth only. Do not use wet cleaners.