Szu is a queer Taiwanese illustrator working and living on the unceded territories of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. For Szu, Chinatown is a hub for activities that bring her a sense of joy and comfort: meeting and getting to know other diasporic youths and elders; attending talks, workshops, protests; visiting bookstores, exhibits, galleries; organizing and hosting events; going on steamed bun dates with my partner; hanging out with friends and chosen family; buying fresh produce and culturally specific food items - the list can go on forever! The friendships and relationships she has formed through these experiences have made Chinatown a very special place in her heart.

 

Szu started to draw regularly as a way to cope with debilitating depression, as well as to remind herself of those tender moments of warmth and contentment in the mundane, everyday life. That's probably why her art gravitates towards cute and playful forms of expression that always bring a smile to her face - and hopefully yours too!