A Space

a young girl writes at a desk beneath an installation of six yellow banners

A closer view of the six banners, in six different languages

A detail of one banner, with the text in Spanish, Un espacio. Para estar en calma. Para reflexionar. Para desahogarse.

Another view of the installation shows a column with a circular shelf where participants can leave their offerings

An activity card in the shape of a bowl of rice, with handwriting that reads, for my family who is SEEN here.

I developed this interactive installation for decompression and reflection in conjuction with Spirit House, an exhibition exploring the boundary between life and death. It features multilingual banners and instructions, along with response cards and a display shelf.

I used calligraphy and graphic design to create banners in languages commonly spoken by Asian Pacific American and other immigrant groups in the region, including Thai in a nod to the spirit houses that inspired the theme and title of the exhibition. With my interest in cross-cultural bridging, I used the color of marigolds—a flower with rich symbolism across Latin America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The circular shelf wrapping the column was originally inspired by the practice of leaving offerings or wishes on trees.

Curated by Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander with Kat Cua, Spirit House is related to the Asian American Art Initiative (AAAI) and was on view at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University from September 4, 2024 to January 26, 2025. Spirit House will be on view at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington in Seattle from July 26, 2025 to January 11, 2026.

Christine Wong Yap, A Space, 2024, installation with fabric banners, interactive cards, platform, and instructions in Thai, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Spanish.

Sewing by Joy Brace. Translation assistance by the Boo family, Lauren Huang, Jon Jandai, Marijose Alvarado Luna, and Audrey Nguyen. Photos by Christine Wong Yap and the Cantor Arts Center.

Many thanks to Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander, Kat Cua, Christina Linden, and Albert Lewis.