British-Chinese dual identity explored in creative food photos pairing icons of the two cuisines
- Steamed fish rice wrapped in newspaper, century egg in an egg cup – Marcella Chan’s images reflect the dual heritage of British-born Chinese
- Her photos, which also celebrate lesser-known Asian ingredients, will be shown at an exhibition at China Exchange in London
In the heart of London’s Chinatown, popular cultural hub China Exchange wants to address the subject of dual identity. But it is not hosting a debate; instead, it will explore the topic through a series of photographs.
The exhibition is based around a theme that can be at once unifying and divisive: food.
British-born Chinese photographer Marcella Chan has been commissioned to produce 15 images for the exhibition. Her brief was to celebrate lesser-known Asian ingredients, so she decided to create a collection that reflected her heritage.
“I grew up in Somerset [in southwest England] where there were very few other Chinese people,” she says. “My parents were from Hong Kong and they ran a Chinese takeaway. I spent a lot of my childhood in the restaurant.”
Chan, 25, mismatches ingredients and utensils to create striking images that combine elements of both British and Chinese cuisines, presented against plain, brightly coloured backgrounds.