The Petal – Cánh Hoa
The Petal – Cánh Hoa (2021) explores the struggle of Asians born in the West who often battle with dueling identities. The video features Kara Juku morphing between an Áo dài (traditional Vietnamese garment) and a contemporary outfit; shapeshifting out of the want to fit in. It represents her journey as she learns to embrace her heritage while navigating societal pressures.
The Petal – Cánh Hoa (2020) first exhibited at the Or Gallery in 2020 as part of Pride in Chinatown MMXX curated by Paul Wong. Pride in Chinatown MMXX was not only a bold gesture claiming Chinatown as a safe space for LGBTQ2+ people and allies, but was rebuttal against the recent acts of racist aggression and discrimination that included the wave of anti-Asian graffiti amplified by COVID-19. The Petal – Cánh Hoa (2020) was displayed on a vertically mounted television.
Bios
Christian Yves Jones is a Philippine-born, New Zealand raised filmmaker. He was awarded a Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship, graduating from the Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand) with a Bachelor of Communication Studies. Christian’s projects are diverse; his experience spans from corporate videos, music videos, short films, video art installations, to live television broadcasts. His work has made official selection in the 43rd Dance on Camera Festival in (New York, USA); Jumping Frames International Dance Video Festival (Hong Kong); and the Choreoscope Dance Film Festival (Barcelona, Spain; and Bucharest, Romania). In a recent collaboration with Kimberly Ho, Dumplings / 餃子(2020), a short dance film, received honorable mention in the ‘Most Moving Film’ category in the 2020 Festival of Recorded Movement in Vancouver.
Kara Juku (all pronouns) is a non-binary drag artist, content creator and multi-faceted performer. They first debuted in 2019, dazzling and dipping from stages all across their hometown of Vancouver, Canada. Their performances often pay homage to her ancestral Vietnamese roots, bringing you a little closer to their inner world. In 2020, Kara was the first drag artist of Asian descent to be crowned the coveted title of Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar and Vancouver’s Eastside Phenomenon in 2019 for their ubiquitous high-energy, high-kick performances. Kara is a member of House of Rice, Vancouver’s all-queer Asian drag dynasty and daughter to Kendall Gender, a sensational pillar in the local drag community.