The photographs of Parawita are based around identity. We had spoken often about the experience of being first generation American women and the emotions of belonging to two different cultures while simultaneously belonging to neither.

We wanted to capture her duality. Her American upbringing with her Thai heritage. Paying homage to the ancestors while holding space in the present. The idea of both funeral and rebirth. Accepting both peace and sadness.

Parawita wears a tank and cutoffs shorts as a nod to American clothing, with blue as a symbol for water. Her homemade malai, or flower garland, is usually presented as an offering or gift in times of celebration. But the way the malai is made calls back to western culture through its choice of flowers and construction. Her nail pieces are those traditionally worn by Thai dancers.

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