Illustration by David Ezra Wang
just today I reminded my parents that I only have two more months of being a
teenager. in further conversation, my dad, who argued that nineteen years olds are not
teenagers, told me he’s reminiscent of the time when I was still a child
today I stayed at home because there’s a huge red pimple growing on my nose,
alongside the fifty plus scars and other deformations on my face.
I went to the rooftop of my apartment building.
that’s the only place I can be in public, but unseen
in known, but in hiding
today I thought about a cool art project
I’ll cover my body with a big piece of white cloth
become architectural sculpture or something
worth your time, something worth a gallery,
something worth a show, something, of worth
today I read the Bible
and today I washed my face, twice
today I prayed to God about my skin
on the rooftop I played my music
I whispered into the air and wondered
if anyone would fall in love with me if I really exfoliated my face
like really
like
rubbed my face against fragments of stone in salt water
scrubbed till my hands join the tides of the ocean
scrubbed till there was nothing left but blood and all things that flow
but right now I’m going to bed
I’m going to think about some good things.
the right words haven’t come to me yet
I’ll ask my dad, I’ll ask my mom, I’ll ask God.
tomorrow morning I will wake up a day closer to my twentieth birthday
and I’ll get back to you then
I don’t know why I look like this,
do you? tell me tomorrow
David Ezra Wang is an emerging artist born in New Jersey, raised in Taipei, and is currently studying as an uninvited guest on Coast Salish territory. He has recently exhibited in Hatch Art Gallery, and has recently performed at Belkin Art Gallery and Or Gallery. He spends his free time tending to plants.
Katya Roxas is a Communications Officer at UBC Library who has experience with branding, content creation and social media. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Multimedia Arts, specializing in graphic design and illustration, and a Diploma in Digital Marketing and Communications. Born and raised in the Philippines, Katya is well-versed with the sacrifices and opportunities that come with being an immigrant. Through her experiences, she strives to break the barriers of cultural misrepresentation by creating honest and inclusive visual expressions.