WHAT PATHS LED YOU TO THE VISUAL ARTS IN LIMA? I was born in Peru, but my ancestors are from China. They emigrated to South America sometime in the early 1900s. Most of my young life I lived in the US. But, fascinated by the two strongest lines in my heritage, I came back to Lima to ‘learn Peruvian’. It included a season living in the forests between Loreto and Iquitos. No indoor plumbing, I bathed in the river — but I loved it.
YOU RECENTLY SHOWED AN ARTWORK, LAZOS ANCESTRALES (‘ANCESTRAL TIES’) AT MAC LIMA. CAN YOU SHARE THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT? My piece was part of a collaborative exhibition among Peruvian-Chinese artists. All the works addressed movement between China and Peru, then back to China — a journey I’ve personally made. My artwork’s red network is composed of knots — an element of importance in China as well as Peru, related to the Inca quipu [ancient stringed recording device]. It also ties into my interest in textiles, a major medium in both cultures.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO LIVE IN LIMA WITH CHINESE HERITAGE? After a hundred years here, the community is strong and established, maybe even privileged. The city’s racial mix is one of its best parts. I like Lima. But I’m also going back to the jungle. instagram.com/christi.z