As Shadows

“As Shadows” explores how individual identity is shaped by relationships, in this case, by marriage. In this intimate work, a husband views his new wife to understand her more deeply. In the process he simultaneously contemplates his own attitudes and actions as a man in a new role. Deploying various narrative genres, numerous issues of the gaze, of the other, of male/female transactions come into play. Adding another layer to the exploration are cross cultural dynamics. Both husband and wife are Chinese living in the west for the first time. They experience constant collisions between belief systems and behavior. The title of this work reflects this difference. In Chinese, the notion of shadows in a relationship can signify fulfillment of the other, constant presence and support, and undying love.