Xiyue Zhang

I have lived and studied in Canada and the United Kingdom for many years. The longer I spent abroad as an adult, the more profoundly perplexed I became: I longed to know where my home truly lay.

As an overseas Chinese, I believe this is a universal contemplation for second-generation immigrants—the quest for identity and belonging, a confusion born of living long-term between two distinct cultures. Chinese culture forms part of our very being. Though I may not fully grasp or understand it, this sense of belonging feels akin to homelessness—perhaps this is what diaspora means. Thus, I have explored these questions through three photographic series.

These three series originate from China, the UK, and Canada respectively, featuring three generations of women from my family: the grandmother who remained in our homeland, the mother who chose to leave, and the daughter who drifts without fixed roots.These three series represent my reflections on homeland, family, migration, and identity.