Quinxie Doan

Artist statement

¡°You Are What You Eat¡± by Quyen Doan explores the intersection of personal identity, cultural transformation, and the emotional experience of belonging. Through the lens of food and fashion, her work tells a story of growth and self-discovery. Inspired by her journey from Vietnam to the United States and Italy, the project uses cuisine and clothing as visual metaphors for adaptation while maintaining a search for authenticity.

Each stage of You Are What You Eat pairs a specific dish with a clothing style, representing a chapter of Doan¡¯s life. The childhood stage combines Vietnamese candies with a school uniform. The candy embodies innocence, sweetness, and pride, while the uniform reflects restricted freedom - the unspoken expectations of family and school that shaped her before she understood her own desires. The next stage blends Ph? and B¨²n with the ?o D¨¤i, symbolizing her high school years in Vietnam. This period marks a deeper connection to her hometown culture, more travel, and the beginnings of patriotism and self-awareness. The following stage pairs fast food with fast fashion, capturing her transition to the United States. It represents adaptation to modern convenience, constant movement, and the pressure to keep pace with a fast-changing environment. Finally, the European stage merges the fresh, relaxed atmosphere of Italy with pasta, a dish that requires time and care. This stage expresses creative freedom, comfort, and the rediscovery of self-expression.

Across these pairings, Doan reflects on how place shapes not only what people consume or wear but also how they perceive themselves. Her process begins with visual boards to define the mood and style of each stage. She then sketches shapes and colors, experimenting with textures to find combinations that communicate both emotion and story. Using collage techniques, layered fabrics, textures, and images, along with marker, colored pencil, and pen, she constructs illustrations that merge physical materials with internal experience. The collage method allows her to gather fragments from different places and times, mirroring the layered, nonlinear evolution of identity.

Together, the collection showcases self-identity, cultural expression, and the ongoing journey of becoming.