Asian Flush, 2022.
Copper, enamel, patina, steel.
6 cm x 3 cm x 0.7 cm

Alcohol culture is defined as the traditions and behaviors of drinking socially, often to celebrate or relax in the company of others. It can be an intimidating presence, especially in a college town like Bloomington. However, I lack the ALDH2 enzyme which assists alcohol metabolism. This commonly results in having symptoms like a flushed face when I drink, known as Asian flush. Despite this, I have the overwhelming desire to insert myself into alcohol culture and would suffer the headaches, nausea, and other undesirable effects of alcohol intolerance, just to feel like I belong. By incorporating enameled representations of flushed skin and abstracted chemical structures, the work reveals my incompatibility with alcohol culture. This was created by enameling copper discs and adjusted firing times to create a textured surface known as sugar-fire.