because you are the sun; because you are the thread

Dimensions variable

Retrofitted vending tricycle (painted steel, aluminum, rubber), powder-coated steel, pvc board, plywood, keyed carbon steel, UV-printed aluminum panels, drive motor, polycarbonate panels, enamel paint, gold leaf, stained plywood, oil painting on wood by Anneke Chan in wooden frame, graphite, and pencil crayon on PETG filament, resin, tape, mirror acrylic, glow in the dark moon, inkjet print on Evolon, notebook paper, hair clips, nail clipper, and tailor scissors from Essex Corner, kitchen sink drains, bamboo skewers, porcelain cups and soup spoon from Jia Ho Supermarket, ceramic teapot from Jibei Chuan, pair of socks, mom’s slipper, Vivian’s slipper.

2026

Photos by Jacob Chang-Rascle and video by Russell Laman

While creating the flipbooks, I retraced my family’s viewing history across decades: from my aunt’s love of tender, angst-filled Taiwanese dramas such as Deep Garden (1987), to Chinese classics like My Fair Princess (1998), to my uncle’s fondness for Western titles like Mission: Impossible (1966) and Tintin (1961). The horizon serves as the connective tissue across all of these films and shows, linking decades, geographies, and genres. In cinema, horizon shots are commonly used for world-building, to mark the passage of time from day to night, to imply off-screen travel, and most often to announce the ending—the moment when a protagonist rides into the distance as credits roll. Mounted on vending trikes, the flipbooks allow riders to step into the role of protagonist themselves. The gesture echoes my grandfather’s labor, pedaling through the city to sell ice in a time when refrigerators were scarce in Saigon’s hot, humid climate.

because you are the sun; because you are the thread is commissioned by The Rose Kennedy Greenway in celebration of Year of the Horse. The installation is on view at Auntie Kay & Uncle Frank Chin Park through December 2026.

Special thanks to project collaborators Jaywalk Studio, Black Cat Labs, Best Dressed Signs, Happy Melon Press, Mai Phạm, Anneke Chan, and An Hà.