mai ide, 2025

Abstract

Mai Ide’s thesis explores self-discovery, nourishment, and resilience through writing and artistic expression. Her creative and intellectual pursuits serve as essential tools in shaping an understanding of authenticity and the importance of living as one’s true self. A central theme of her work is the racialized invisibility of Asian Americans in the U.S., who have historically been marginalized as the “other.” Through her research, she critically examines how deeply rooted cultural values—such as family-oriented structures and ethnic identity—shape individual lives and self-definition. Mai also analyzes the pervasive influence of the white gaze on Asian American women, investigating how historical and contemporary racialized and gendered experiences impact visibility, desirability, and agency. She confronts the ways systemic perceptions dictate representation and how these constructs influence societal roles. Additionally, her project delves into the complexities of her relationship with her mother, using art to process and give form to her identity. Textile objects and sewing become key mediums for honoring familial connections, allowing her to preserve meaning and family history through tactile expression. Her thesis further interrogates the racialized commodification of Asian femininity, particularly through the lens of "cuteness" as a form of delegitimization. She critiques femininity as an ego of complexity and constructs multiple corsets to symbolize layered identity and gender expression. Through this approach, she examines how notions of sweetness and cuteness function as tools for societal control, shaping perceptions of femininity within consumer and cultural frameworks. By integrating theory and creative practice, Mai Ide uses writing to articulate her beliefs and deepen her awareness of selfhood. Her engagement with artistic and intellectual processes transforms introspection into resilience and self-expression into a powerful assertion of individuality.