Fusion of Ethnicities by Isabella Wu

The piece ‘Fusion of Ethnicities’ showcases my aunt, Ling, a Chinese woman who is part of the 55 minority cultures in China and migrated to Brisbane, Australia, in 1989. She is depicted wearing the traditional heritage clothing and headpiece of her culture, a stark contrast to the contemporary clothing she wears in the Brisbane setting, illustrating the dissonances and harmonies between the natural and urbanisation, the old Eastern and Western worlds. This portrait delves into how minority cultures preserve and adapt their heritage in the melting pot of multiculturalism in Brisbane.

I am Isabella Wu from Sydney, a Year 11 HSC visual arts student aspiring to become an artist/architect one day. I work with and explore multiple mediums such as digital art, oil, acrylic, sketching, and sculpture. I have won various art competitions, including the Scholastic Art Prize and Mosman Youth Art Prize, among others. I have volunteered to teach art at St. Lucy School in Wahroonga. I am deeply passionate about environmental issues and sustainable solutions. My art has been displayed in exhibitions in Australia, the United States, and China. I continue to explore my interest in art by participating in an art curators program and developing my own architecture portfolio.

Even though my mum moved from Brisbane to Sydney before I was born, she maintained a close relationship with her sister/my sitter. We visit my aunt/my sitter often during holidays. I plan to attend Queensland University for my bachelor’s degree in 2025.