Artist Category: Adult 19+

Biography

Maple Lee is a Chinese-Canadian interdisciplinary artist who enjoys working with various media and ways to express her ideas, often combining multiple art forms to create a work of art.

Artist Statement

As the lotus flower blooms forth from the muddy depths, this painting of vibrant lotus flowers rises from the detritus of society to be a work of beauty. This piece symbolizes how the diaspora of Asians emerged from a history of racism (that unfortunately continues today) with resilience, demonstrating worth and value in their ability to transform hardship and suffering into vital contributions to the diverse and multicultural social fabric of our present world. Asians can choose to be resourceful in turning the ‘garbage’ thrown at them into a hopeful climb from the ground to a better position. Using the hardships themselves to be the pedestal for their work to shine and even the challenges themselves can become transformed into something of value. The ‘canvas’ for this painting of the lotus is a discarded paper plate, and its ‘frame’ is a box that once encased a mooncake. Racism and xenophobia may blind people to the value of human worth, causing them to see others as ‘garbage’, but embracing multiculturalism and diversity can allow us to understand that we are all lotus flowers of equal worth, rising from the same muddy earth as unique treasures to be celebrated.

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