Exhibition view, Mid-term Review, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, MFA Gallery. The installation space measures approximately 9′10″ (left), 18′6″ (center), and 9′ (right), with the title wall measuring 15′3″.
Medium: Photo book, Page: 23, Dimensions: 8x11x3in.
Wandering Mind(Second Version), Exhibited in:
The Suzy Greenberg MFA Juried ExhibitionExhibition Runs: July 20 – August 24, 2025
Work by Malini Basu, Elizabeth Blackwell, Aja Bond, Anissa Cavazos-Rodriguez, Matthew Clara, Graciela DeAnda, Isabela Escalona, Devin Gallucci, Ranran Hu, Camila Leiva, Nelson Liu, Whalen Polikoff, nouf saleh, Angela St. Vrain, Hayden Teachout, and Mai Tran.
This exhibition marks the second year that SooVAC will showcase MFA graduates from both the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the University of Minnesota. It honors SooVAC's founder, Suzy Greenberg, for her vision and commitment to supporting emerging artists. Given the limited opportunities for these artists to showcase their work, we are excited to highlight their talents as they embark on their professional careers in the arts. The exhibition was juried by Trina Fernandez and Prerna.
Figure 1. Exhibition detail. Wandering Mind (Second Version) , exhibited in Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2025.
Figure 2. Exhibition space. Wandering Mind (Second Version) , exhibited in Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2025.
Front Cover
Back Cover
Postcards inside
On March 26, 2025, at 3:00 AM, Giaciela and I were so tired after installing our midterm project that we sat down in front of the men’s restroom in the MCAD MFA building. Our friend Cats snapped a number of photos of us “lying flat,” which became the starting point for this work.
I was also inspired by my questioning of the contemporary concept of travel — nowadays, travel is often seen as a symbol of freedom, as if the farther you go and the more you see, the freer you are. But I disagree with this logic. This humorous work is a satire of the overconsumption in the tourism industry, and a tribute to “lying flat” literature.
I chose 20 globally recognized tourist attractions. These picture-perfect images of the attractions are from Wikipedia. I embedded my friend who was “lying flat” into these idealized landscapes. On the back of each postcard is a quote from “lying flat” literature. On the cover, I hand-drew the design of the “lying flat character.”
It is both a record of friendship and a response to the era of globalized travel in which we find ourselves.
I was also inspired by my questioning of the contemporary concept of travel — nowadays, travel is often seen as a symbol of freedom, as if the farther you go and the more you see, the freer you are. But I disagree with this logic. This humorous work is a satire of the overconsumption in the tourism industry, and a tribute to “lying flat” literature.
I chose 20 globally recognized tourist attractions. These picture-perfect images of the attractions are from Wikipedia. I embedded my friend who was “lying flat” into these idealized landscapes. On the back of each postcard is a quote from “lying flat” literature. On the cover, I hand-drew the design of the “lying flat character.”
It is both a record of friendship and a response to the era of globalized travel in which we find ourselves.
Size:
5 in (W) × 7.25 in (H)
5 in (W) × 7.25 in (H)
Paper:
Via white 216gsm
Grocery Kraft 105gsm
Tourist attraction:
1.The Great Wall (China)
2.Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto (Japan)
3.Uluru / Ayers Rock (Australia)
4.Sydney Opera House (Australia)
5.Bali Beach (Indonesia)
6.Mongolian Grasslands (Mongolia)
7.Burj Khalifa (United Arab Emirates)
8.Camel Caravan in the Sahara Desert (North Africa)
9.Table Mountain, Cape Town (South Africa)
10.Cliffside Town of Santorini (Greece)
11.Colosseum (Italy)
12.Eiffel Tower, Paris (France)
13.London Eye (United Kingdom)
14.Northern Lights in Iceland (Iceland)
15.Times Square, New York (United States)
16.Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco (United States)
17.Niagara Falls (U.S.–Canada Border)
18.Mexico City (Mexico)
19.Machu Picchu (Peru)
20.Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Via white 216gsm
Grocery Kraft 105gsm
Tourist attraction:
1.The Great Wall (China)
2.Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto (Japan)
3.Uluru / Ayers Rock (Australia)
4.Sydney Opera House (Australia)
5.Bali Beach (Indonesia)
6.Mongolian Grasslands (Mongolia)
7.Burj Khalifa (United Arab Emirates)
8.Camel Caravan in the Sahara Desert (North Africa)
9.Table Mountain, Cape Town (South Africa)
10.Cliffside Town of Santorini (Greece)
11.Colosseum (Italy)
12.Eiffel Tower, Paris (France)
13.London Eye (United Kingdom)
14.Northern Lights in Iceland (Iceland)
15.Times Square, New York (United States)
16.Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco (United States)
17.Niagara Falls (U.S.–Canada Border)
18.Mexico City (Mexico)
19.Machu Picchu (Peru)
20.Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
This book documents the photos I took on my March 2025 daily walk.
这本书记录了我在2025年3月的日常步行中拍摄的照片。
Title:To everyday life,March
Medium: Photo book
Page: 8
Year: 2025
Dimensions: 2.75x4.25in
Material: Stardust 105 gsm, Stardust 176 gsm
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: folding
Book structure: 16-pocket folded structure
Camera: iphone 15 pro
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Photo book
Page: 8
Year: 2025
Dimensions: 2.75x4.25in
Material: Stardust 105 gsm, Stardust 176 gsm
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: folding
Book structure: 16-pocket folded structure
Camera: iphone 15 pro
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Title: Me in China and Me in the U.S.
Medium: Artist book with text
Page: 6
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 5.5x8.5in
Material: Via White (Mohawk Via Vellum)176gsm
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: hand-bound using single signature sewing
Book structure: dos-à-dos structure
Post-Production Software: Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Artist book with text
Page: 6
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 5.5x8.5in
Material: Via White (Mohawk Via Vellum)176gsm
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: hand-bound using single signature sewing
Book structure: dos-à-dos structure
Post-Production Software: Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
This series will be a monthly update during the 2025 MCAD MFA Spring Semester.
All photos were taken with my iPhone 15 pro.
Documenting what makes me happy in my daily life.
All photos were taken with my iPhone 15 pro.
Documenting what makes me happy in my daily life.
Title: Not an exit, but can be an Exit 生活出口
Medium: Photo book
Page: 26
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 7.07x5.5in
Material: Stardust 105 gsm, Via White (Mohawk Via Vellum)176gsm
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: hand-bound using single signature sewing
Camera: iphone 15 pro
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Photo book
Page: 26
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 7.07x5.5in
Material: Stardust 105 gsm, Via White (Mohawk Via Vellum)176gsm
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: hand-bound using single signature sewing
Camera: iphone 15 pro
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
These photographs were taken during a 3 hours and 10 minutes walking practice on February 1, 2025. I didn’t use GPS navigation; instead, I let the sidewalks guide me. Eventually, they led me to the edge of the Mississippi River, where I saw many trees with their branches cut off. I imagined painting all the stumps red, as if the trees could open their mouths and speak out—accusing anthropocentrism.
《密西西比河边的树》中文介绍
这些照片拍摄于2025年2月1号的一次长达3小时10分钟的步行实践。我没有使用手机导航，而是让人行道带着我走，最终它把我引到了密西西比河边，我看到有许多树的枝干被砍掉了，我希望把这些切口都涂成红色，就像树可以开口说话控诉人类中心主义一样。
Title: The Trees by the Mississippi River 密西西比河边的树
Medium: Photo book
Page: 3
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 4.5x6in
Material: Mohawk Color Copy 98 105gsm 13x19in
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: 8-fold
Camera: Dji Osmo pocket2
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Photo book
Page: 3
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 4.5x6in
Material: Mohawk Color Copy 98 105gsm 13x19in
Printer: imagepress
Binding method: 8-fold
Camera: Dji Osmo pocket2
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Every window I passed on a cold winter night offered me a new glimpse of wonder. The window is like a link between me and the outside world, allowing me to peek into the corner of people's lives. In November, Christmas decorations dominated people’s windows, but I still observed other interesting views that reminded me of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Rome, Van Gogh's starry night, Morandi's bottle paintings, psychedelic electronic music, heroin, a murder, an erupting volcano, uterus scanning X-rays, Star Trek, landscapes, sunflowers, basketball hoops, spooky dolls upon hanging from poles, the messy trees that covered the windows, and the way they were covered up those confusing branches in the window. The theme of the book, Windows, connects to human activity in my imagination because of its link to what I have observed since childhood.
Title: Windows 窗边
Medium: Photo Book
Page: 26
Date: December 12,2024
Dimensions:4.25in(W)x6in(H)
Material: watercolor paper, sticker paper white, scarlet 216g, eclipse black 216g, lemon drop 176g,blue 75g, ivory 75g, orchid 75gsm, sulfate paper, transparencies, injeked paper
Printer: imagepress,POSCA Acrylic Brush
Binding method: Glue
Camera: Sony a6400
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Photo Book
Page: 26
Date: December 12,2024
Dimensions:4.25in(W)x6in(H)
Material: watercolor paper, sticker paper white, scarlet 216g, eclipse black 216g, lemon drop 176g,blue 75g, ivory 75g, orchid 75gsm, sulfate paper, transparencies, injeked paper
Printer: imagepress,POSCA Acrylic Brush
Binding method: Glue
Camera: Sony a6400
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Wandering Mind is a photography project that explores themes of inner peace and self-dialogue. It draws inspiration from my early experiences after arriving in the U.S., where I would often sit on the carpet in my apartment, gazing at the stillness of the ceiling fan and the soft, reflected light in the room. The apartment became a quiet refuge during this time, offering a space where I could escape the mundane routine, enter a flow state, and connect deeply with myself. In those moments, time seemed to freeze, and my mind drifted into a meditative state.
Through the theme of "wandering," the work captures moments that transcend reality, evoking a philosophical state between the void and reality. I aim to incorporate Buddhist philosophies, illustrating the mental states of mindfulness. Drawing on Buddhist philosophies, the work aims to illustrate states of mindfulness—being present, fully aware of each moment, and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.
When I captured the motion of the fan, everything turned into a still photograph.The fan's stillness and the flickering light, soft like candlelight, symbolize the passage of time and inner calm. This state mirrors the saying “seeing a mountain is not seeing a mountain, and then seeing it again as a mountain,” except my “mountain” was the fan.
《神游》中文介绍
《神游》是一个探讨内心宁静与自我对话的摄影作品。它源于我初到美国时的体验，那段时间我常常坐在公寓的地毯上，凝视着房间中静止的风扇与映射过来的昏黄灯光。公寓成为我身处美国时的避风港，在这里，我从琐碎的日常生活中得到解放，仿佛进入了一种心流状态，与自己深度连接。在这些时刻，我感到时间似乎凝固，我的意识游离，进入了一种冥想般的状态。
作品通过“神游”这一主题，捕捉那些超脱现实的瞬间，呈现出一种介于虚无与真实之间的独特情感体验。我试图在照片中融入佛学的哲学思考，展现正念的精神状态——活在当下，不加评判地观察与感受。
当我捕捉到风扇的运动时，一切都变成了静止的照片。风扇的静止与微光的摇曳，仿佛烛光般柔和，表现了时间的流逝和我内在心灵的平静。这一状态像“看山不是山，又看山还是山”般的反复，只不过，我的“山”是风扇。
Title: Wandering Mind 神游
Medium: Photo Book
Page: 31
Date: October 31, 2024
Dimensions: 8x10.63 in
Material: Color Copy 98, 105g(inside page); Cardstock 300g(book cover)
Printer: ImagePress Color
Camera: Nikon Z7
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Photo Book
Page: 31
Date: October 31, 2024
Dimensions: 8x10.63 in
Material: Color Copy 98, 105g(inside page); Cardstock 300g(book cover)
Printer: ImagePress Color
Camera: Nikon Z7
Post-Production Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Indesign
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
I photographed some of my feelings within a month of coming to the U.S. Some of them are comfortable and some are uncomfortable, but they are all reactions that I would have when I enter a new environment, and this kind of reaction is like goose bumps on the skin when it encounters the cold air. Both my protection and a sign of fear and stress about a new environment.
My daily activities range from The Hive dormitory-main building-MFA building-MCAD building-English learning center.
In these routes, I encountered many interesting things, which I will write about in the following order.
1. Some plants and flowers
2. The houses where people live have huge lawns, colorful flowers, and lots of decorations. Ornaments type of puppies, mailboxes, tables and chairs, etc.
3. the 5pm sun hitting the lawn is like a specific image from a Benjamin book; an old woman with her arms folded behind her hair, lying in a rocking chair, the chic Japanese wind chimes hanging on the open porch playing a unique piece of music with the wind.
4. there's even a pulp boat; I'd think of a family with kids boating on a Minnesota lake, which I think is a very Minnesotan part of the story.
5. the hose nourishing under the big tree, in the air, on the lawn, while I look around for the angle at which I can see the rainbow
5. there are always pretty little lights on the path into the gate.
6. on the day my American roommate moved in she brought a huge Christmas tree with colorful LED lights and a huge silver star at the top.
7. Before going to bed at night, the dim light from my roommate's room would also be mapped to my room, and my room was dark, so all I could see was the dim light and the fan in my room, which was very quiet, and all of this was very new to me, and I even felt like I was back in a small room converted into a utility room a long, long time ago, when I was in the fourth grade.
8. Minnesota has a lot of squirrels and rabbits, and I have a pair of cute red bunny earrings.
9. when I came to the US the eyelashes I grew in China started to gradually fall out on the table, on the carpet, on the road, on the bed... Anytime anywhere, and it's almost falling out now while I've been in also the US for a whole month.
My daily activities range from The Hive dormitory-main building-MFA building-MCAD building-English learning center.
In these routes, I encountered many interesting things, which I will write about in the following order.
1. Some plants and flowers
2. The houses where people live have huge lawns, colorful flowers, and lots of decorations. Ornaments type of puppies, mailboxes, tables and chairs, etc.
3. the 5pm sun hitting the lawn is like a specific image from a Benjamin book; an old woman with her arms folded behind her hair, lying in a rocking chair, the chic Japanese wind chimes hanging on the open porch playing a unique piece of music with the wind.
4. there's even a pulp boat; I'd think of a family with kids boating on a Minnesota lake, which I think is a very Minnesotan part of the story.
5. the hose nourishing under the big tree, in the air, on the lawn, while I look around for the angle at which I can see the rainbow
5. there are always pretty little lights on the path into the gate.
6. on the day my American roommate moved in she brought a huge Christmas tree with colorful LED lights and a huge silver star at the top.
7. Before going to bed at night, the dim light from my roommate's room would also be mapped to my room, and my room was dark, so all I could see was the dim light and the fan in my room, which was very quiet, and all of this was very new to me, and I even felt like I was back in a small room converted into a utility room a long, long time ago, when I was in the fourth grade.
8. Minnesota has a lot of squirrels and rabbits, and I have a pair of cute red bunny earrings.
9. when I came to the US the eyelashes I grew in China started to gradually fall out on the table, on the carpet, on the road, on the bed... Anytime anywhere, and it's almost falling out now while I've been in also the US for a whole month.
《一月》中文介绍
我想拍摄我来到美国一个月之内的一些感受，有些是舒服的，有些是不舒服的，但他们都是我进入一个新环境会有的反应，这种反应就像是皮肤遇到冷空气起的鸡皮疙瘩。既是我的保护伞，也是一种对新环境感到恐惧和压力的表现。
我每天的活动范围在The Hive宿舍-主楼-MFA大楼-MCAD大楼-English learning center
在这些路线中我遇到很多有意思的事情，下面我将按照序号去写：
1. 一些植物和花朵
2. 人们居住的房子有巨大的草坪，五颜六色的花朵，很多装饰。摆设类的小狗、邮箱、桌椅等。
3. 下午五点的阳光打在草坪上就像是本雅明书里灵光乍现的具体画面；一个老妇人双手交叠搭在头发背后，躺在摇椅上，开放走廊上吊着的别致日式风铃和风一起演奏了独一无二的乐章。
4. 甚至有桨船，我会想想一家人带着孩子在明尼苏达的湖上划船，我觉得这是很明尼苏达的部分。
5. 水管在大树底下，空气中，草坪上滋滋，而我到处寻找在哪个角度能看到彩虹
5. 在进入大门的小路总是会有很漂亮的小灯。
6. 在美国室友搬进来的那天她带来了一棵巨大的圣诞树，上面有五颜六色的LED灯，树顶还有一颗巨大的银色星星。
7. 在晚上睡觉之前我室友房间昏黄的灯光也会映射到我的房间，而我房间是黑暗的，于是我就只能看到昏黄的灯光和我房间的风扇，很安静，这一切都让我感到很新奇，甚至觉得自己回到了很久很久以前小学四年级的时候住在一个杂物间改成的小房间里的感觉。
8. 明尼苏达有很多的松鼠和兔子，而我有一对可爱的红色兔子耳环。
9. 来到美国后我在中国种的睫毛开始逐渐掉落在桌子上，地毯上，路上，床上...任何时间任何地点，而它现在几乎要掉光了，而我也在美国整整一个月了。
Title: One Month
Medium: Photo Book
Page: 29
Date: September 26, 2024
Dimensions: 3.5x2.5x3.5 in
Material: Ivary 75g,card stork 300g
Printer: ImagePress Color
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Medium: Photo Book
Page: 29
Date: September 26, 2024
Dimensions: 3.5x2.5x3.5 in
Material: Ivary 75g,card stork 300g
Printer: ImagePress Color
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.