Comfort Zone

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Comfort Zone is a portrait series documenting Chinese female artists living in New York during a time of profound global and personal upheaval. The project began during the height of the pandemic, a period marked by lockdowns, anti-Asian hate, and emotional isolation. These external pressures deeply impacted the women I photographed—and myself.

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With the encouragement of friends, I began capturing these artists—illustrators, musicians, tattoo artists, and multimedia creators—whose resilience struck a chord with me. Each image reflects the paradoxes they embody: soft yet strong, constrained yet free. Our connection extended beyond the camera and rope; it was rooted in shared experiences, emotional vulnerability, and an unspoken solidarity.

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Over time, the world changed, and so did we. While the future remains uncertain, this project stands as a visual record of how we claimed space, reclaimed our identity, and learned to be at ease in our own skin—on our own terms.

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Comfort Zone was awarded Silver Winner in the 2022 New York Photography Awards, received an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Annual Photo Awards, and was featured in Dodho Magazine (2021) and ArtJobs.com as a Monthly Artist (2021). It was exhibited in a solo show at SIA, New York City (2022), included in a group show at Bay Area Council, San Francisco (2023 Spring Festival), and continues to inspire the direction of my photographic journey.