Nicho
9” x 2.75” x 12”
Douglas fir, red tinted lacquer, silver milagros
2024
Taking inspiration from an open call prompt "ode to your home" I was inspired to create an object that represents the blending of two cultures in my newly growing family. This piece highlights my background as a Chinese-American architect and designer as well as my wife’s, a Mexican-American textile artist, as we expect the coming of our first child. This piece takes as its starting point the Mexican nicho—a folk art tradition of creating small, three-dimensional shrines to house cherished items. My version is encrusted with milagros. These traditional votive charms commonly symbolize hopes and blessings, in this case, directed toward our family and the home we have created. To honor my own Chinese heritage, I looked to traditional geometries, motifs, and finishes of Chinese furniture, all of which call to mind memories of my grandparents’ home growing up. In this way, this small object brings together two distinct cultures to create something that feels personal to my family and home.