Angie Fu
Neither Here Nor There
Project Background
Growing up I had only trivial knowledge of my parent's lives and family relationships before they immigrated to the US—and because they were the first of either of their families to leave China (and subsequently are the only ones who currently don't live there), there were very few opportunities to learn through family keepsakes or conversations with relatives. Neither Here Nor There is the title of a personal project I took in order to learn more about my parent’s experience leaving China and navigating American culture as immigrants.
Tools
Layout designed in Adobe InDesign and hand bound using coptic stitch.
Recognition
The book received honorable mention for Best Photography Book in the 2014 Art Books Wanted International Awards.
Process
To do this, I cataloged the few albums they brought from their homes in Beijing and Inner Mongolia by scanning and organizing photos by date. I spent time with each of my parents to learn about the context surrounding the pictured individuals, time, and place. Through this simple exercise, I learned strange and fascinating things about their marriage, and how difficult it was to acclimate to each new city they moved to—essentially painting a picture of their acclimation to America.
Inspiration and design
For the book design and poster, I drew inspiration from the bold colors and intricate overlays of traditional Chinese paper decorations. I wanted these to contrast with the simple, open layout designs within the book to elevate the photos and content. The text is written in both English and simplified Mandarin Chinese as an allusion to the cultural ‘inbetween-ness’ experienced by all immigrant families.
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