the winning hand

​麻将

 

mahjong was home 
that i know
was my path back to my heritage 
was my airplane ticket 
to a family i rarely saw 
mahjong was a language 
that could never be replaced

when i look in the mirror
i see generations of women 
who have been in this skin too 
who have tossed plastic tiles onto their tables 
who have feared, loved, hated, and fought 
to find themselves in their skin 
i see a legacy 
that can never be rebranded

​

words by kaitlyn fa, @dearasianyouthliterature

 

—

 

this shoot was inspired by the poem above. we wanted to encapsulate the nostalgia of playing mahjong, along with the theme of the dichotomy of identity. the mahjong pieces, fine china teapot, sheer gloves, and overall moody tones of this shoot add another layer of depth and culture.

photographer/creative director: @maiadvicestudios

styling: @dawangnewyork

model: @maiqiqin