Symbols of the Dream

Individualism in America

Jasper Lin
The Modern

american dream

Thirty years ago my parents set out towards the american continent in seach for a more prosperous future. To them and many other immigrants alike, the American dream is the assimilation into a land which offers them many prosperous opportunities. As the direct product of this grandiose dream both metaphorically and literally, me and other first generations alike wonder whether the dream our parents so desperately chased after have slipped under the cover of the horizon and if not, how does it apply to ourselves. While I don't hink the dream has sunsetted, I do believe that this dream has shifted forms. Now, it is our turn to be the adventurers and set out to achieve this american dream. I set out to understand how relevant the American dream which I have defined as the expression of one's traits that define their individual identity applies to our current generation.  
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Life is like a maze. It is easy to get lost in and for many, it takes a lifetime to find where the sun shines. In America especially, people find their melody within this grand symphony. This melody can be played over again for the next generation, or it could be brand new, never heard before by any family members. It is easy to find these unique melodies, especially in a small town where businesses filled with dedicated artisans reside. Some of thse artisans take on the melody because their family did, others because the melody resonates with their heart. Just pay a bit in sum and you can hear how their melody is played. I wanted to find examples in the services that I need in my daily life, however, I didn't want to include examples that had the involvement of giant companies. I wanted to look small and locally for any sources as I felt those examples would provide more geniune expression of indiviudal identity. For me, artisans and specialists provide the best examples of individual expression of identity as many of them are working their job due to the overwhelming connection they felt with their work.

The hair stylist that I have been going to for 2 years cutting my hair after a lengthy discussion on how I want it styled.
The owner of BubbleBee shaking the tea I ordered. My parents frequent this shop due to the dedication they put in their dumplings.  
The local tailor located 5 minutes from my house busy at work with her latest client's pair of pants.
The owner of Nick's shoe repair working on a belt in his workshop riddled with supplies related to leathermaking.
The shop is generations in the making
An employee at the music shop Cadenza works on a client's bow on his workbench that shows off an impressive arsenal of tools.

Performers express their individual identities through creative mediums. It takes several years of
constant practice in order to be considered a master, and still the performer continues to reach for perfection.
All that practice to be able to express their individual identity freely is one of the greatest examples of the American dream.
They not only sing the melody, they embody it. I wanted to capture a couple instances of this intense expression of
personal identity and put in my project. Fortunately for me, I was already surrounded by such mediums in my daily life.
No need for expensive operas, instance oflocal individuals in my community willing to spread the joy of
being a performer was more than enough of an example of individual expression as the American Dream. The examples I ended up capturing
were better representations of the American Dream than I had anticipated. Many of them had dedicated more than half of their lives to their craft and
live happy and fulfilling lives. This is a testament to the idea that expression of one's individual identity was the American Dream.

Mr. G leading a normal sunday rehersal at the GDYO which he has been a conductor for the past 50+ years
Performers from WangTaoKung perform for the chinese new year festival at the local zTAO chinese marketplace.
Mr.Ko Iwasaki, my cello teacher, shows me how to play the introduction to the
Schumann Cello Concerto using his years of experience.  

Next, I looked towards the direction of local markets and businesses as a whole for expression of ones individual identity. This was a bit tricky since
I wanted to include examples without people in them to show that the American dream of individual expression can still be found even without
people in them. Nonetheless, the examples still were easier to find than I had thought. Local businesses selling unique products were a prime example
of the owner expressing their identity. I headed to town centers such as the plano downtown in hopes to find silver and I struck gold. The best examples
were within small businesses. Like the example of artisans, I aimed to stray away from corporate examples because I thought that small businesses
offered the best example of individual expression. The shop's outer and inner decorations and the products that they sell were examples I was aiming for.  

An antique store in Plano downtown showing off it's unique set of cultural items for passerbys.
The local farmer's market at Willowbend mall. Its stall owners display
several varieties of homegrown and homemade products.
A local antique store showing off one of its unique product, a drawer with some "carpet riders" in them.

Someone's culture is often described as what defines people. With this in mind, I wanted to find some examples of some individual
expressing their culture. I felt that including examples that showed culture and a connection to our daily lives was a great way to show that these cultures
affected our daily lives. Food was the example I decided upon as it was something we indulge in every day. I looked for examples of unique cultural food
and I found some in a local chinese restraunt. These foods represent what the chef and the owner's cultures were and in turn were their expression of their
individual identity.  

A bowl of spicy beef noodle soup, my favorite Asian food which I am lucky to find right here in Plano.
Bean Curds, another Asian classic right here in Plano.

Lastly, the final frontier in which I wanted to find examples for was the community. While the setting is in a community, I was still certain that I
could find examples of expression of individual identity. The community was where people lived so a presence of someone's expression was guranteed.
I looked at residential housing for decorations and the like in hopes for to find some examples. I found an example of a mural and a house with many
political signs both of which contain examples of expression of individual identity. However, I felt my best example was a farm in the middle of the street.
I thought that the location of the farm was a bit strange as it wasn't in the outskirts of the town like a normal farm would be but rather right in the middle
of a business center with many residential areas surrounding it. I thought this was the best example of the expression of individual identity as this farmer
or whoever owned the land held their ground against the encroaching city developments. Only someone well connected with their identity would hold their
ground like that and I was lucky to find such a strong example of the expression of one's individual identity as the American dream.

A mural at the Plano downtown symbolizing the artist's connection to the town's rich culture and history.
A house in my neighborhood displaying what politics its owner supports.
A lone farm in the middle of the street. While its surrounding land was used for residential development,
the farmer still decides not to give up their farm.