Cathy Lu

American Dream Pillow (Eyes)

Cathy Lu’s American Dream Pillow series draws from the traditional Chinese object of ceramic pillows from the Tang dynasty (618-906) and Song dynasty (960-1279). Lu’s series updates these objects to form a space for contemplation and to comment on the unattainable promise of the American Dream. In Chinese tradition of folktales and superstitions, these hard pillows were thought to spur one’s dreams, through the symbolic power of their form, and transform the realities of its user. For example, a traditional ceramic pillow might be shaped like a tiger in order to ward off evil. American Dream Pillow (Eyes) is a pair of ceramic pillows in the shape of upward gazing human eyes, ocre in overall color, textured and mottled with black and green. Lu invites viewers to rest on these pillows, stating: “I made these pillows for fellow Asian Americans or anyone who wanted to reconcile their American dreams with the realities of trying to achieve them.” Other pillows in the series draw on the breadth of Asian American experiences, with motifs such as bananas (an epithet thrown at Asian Americans), East Asian beauty masks, and long nails (signifying wealth, as well as nail salons operated by East Asian immigrants). During the U.S. Presidential Inauguration in 2021, Lu placed these American Dream Pillows in front of San Francisco City Hall, and invited her community of friends to lay their heads on them for a moment of collective reflection. Through an intimate and thoughtful gesture, this work expands on various forces and formation of American cultural identity, particularly Chinese and Asian American cultural experiences, immigration, and diaspora.