About
The work explores hybridized bodies, examining the way we define, categorize, and assign power to them. Most recently, Hong has been exploring her multi-hyphenate identity. As a Chinese immigrant and American Southerner, she explores moments when these distinct aspects converge and diverge. The self-portraits prominently feature food motifs and symbols of the Chinese diaspora that have been both weaponized against and embraced by second-generation Chinese Americans. This exploration raises questions about the tug-and-pull nature of assimilation—how does one blend in with the dominant culture that still positions them as outsiders, while still embracing the origins of one’s heritage? More pressingly, how can we reframe what it means to be an American?
Ming earned her BFA from the University of Kentucky and her MFA at Washington University in St. Louis. Currently, she is an associate professor at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).