While all the works in the exhibition focus on gatherings within the home, this particular piece stands out as it prompts reflection on where we gather when home is not the setting. The background photo captures a moment from my father's side of the family, gathered together at a Chuck E Cheese party. This shift from the intimacy of the home to a public space like Chuck E Cheese reflects more significant societal shifts, including white flight. During the era of white flight, as white families moved to the suburbs, commercial spaces like Chuck E Cheese became not just places for entertainment but also symbols of changing community dynamics. Despite efforts to integrate into higher sociaL spheres, spaces like Chuck E Cheese are often stigmatized as 'low class or 'tacky,' perpetuating stereotypes and biases that persist regardless of location or context.
This photo is accompanied by the translations for "These are my eyes" and "Those are your eyes." The words function in many ways, as they are bold and pierce like the eyes in the image looking back at you. This stand-off between personal narrative and external perception is further emphasized by the vibrant hot pink and purple tile pattern and the recurring image of Tweety bird. These elements are aesthetic choices and deliberate reflections of the Hispanic populated neighborhoods where Chuck E Cheese locations are often found.