My father solicits tongue photos to show to Chinese medicine doctors, in hopes of finding a remedy for my chronic illness. Sometimes, expressions of love are rarely verbalized, but might instead be encoded in the exchange of inadvertently goofy iMessage selfies.

With panels emulating the dimensions of an iPhone screen, this diptych foregrounds how relationships are now largely mediated by technology – which is especially the case with my father, who lives an ocean away in the bustling capital of China. The supplanting of physical presence by virtual communication is a double-edged sword, both facilitating connection and breeding alienation. By physicalizing the digital, I invite a more human encounter with this tangible art object than what can be afforded by an impersonal, computerized display.

When installed, the piece is hung vertically, one panel directly above the other, to evoke the image of a scrolling text thread.