Matthew enjoys both beholding and creating art. He likes sketching people in pencil, doodling with pens, and making miniature clay models. He also uses watercolour and Sharpie markers to create appreciation cards for his community. He hopes to become a counselling psychologist one day. For fun, he enjoys bouldering and learning about people’s lives. His favourite animal is the bee—tiny, curious, and vital. Like art, bees create something sweet through collaboration.
Disoriental
About the Artwork
Growing up as a second-generation immigrant was disorienting—caught between my Vietnamese roots and the Canadian soil I was raised in. Among white kids, I felt like a knockoff; at home, too white-washed. I became a shape-shifter, never quite fitting, never quite seen. Trái thanh long (dragon fruit) embodies my heritage: vivid on the outside, colourless within. Sweet but undefined. The glass cloche holds the quiet weight of internalized shame. To belong, I performed for the white gaze. I smiled through slurs, silenced discomfort, and pretended home was a steady place. White splotches mark the decaying voice of self-doubt. The maple leaves are a quiet reminder of the culture that raised me but never fully held me. In the blend of too much and not enough, I learned this: I don’t have to be one or the other. I’m simply me. And home is where I find myself and belonging.
Matthew’s Why
My daily practice is compassion, which, to me, means recognizing the shared lifehood and humanity in all that I do. This might look like respecting the dignity of a stranger or holding a ladybug with gentleness. To recognize our common humanity is to know that I leave a unique fingerprint on the world—just as others leave theirs on me.
A central theme in my work is holding space. I believe all life forms have worth because they take up space and can hold space for others. I make art because beauty is not only perceived—it’s shared. It takes noticing to be noticed.
Voice from the Artist
“Through this project, I reflected on my experience growing up as a second-generation Canadian. Like many others, I’ve felt loneliness, shame, and isolation—especially when I wasn’t understood or felt rejected. I’m drawn to Brené Brown’s definition of shame: “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” I hope to live in a world with more opportunities for connection, and I’m trying to build that in my own relationships. Art should be used as a tool for advocacy because beauty is universal. It exists inside us and around us. It’s a common language that helps us express emotions, tell stories, and understand each other’s needs. Art creates space for empathy, healing, and community. Thank you for sponsoring this project and making space for voices like mine to be heard.“
