︎ kimi’s digital archive ︎ 

Visa for Lian


In collaboration with Lian Tsai at Penthouse 


Baltimore, MD, Fall 2016

In Visa for Lian, Lian Tsai, a Taiwanese artist and resident of Penthouse, and I were able to acquire an OPT (Optional Practical Training) Visa for her continued residence in the United States by hiring her to “work” at Penthouse, the DIY venue where I was a resident artist. As specified in the Letter of Hire, in her new role, Lian was to develop her body of work and put on a solo exhibition. In the show, Lian created an inflatable planet suite that she wore. When she shook people’s hands, the suit would fill with air and slowly inflated and deflated throughout the performance.

Since working with Lian, I was able to use other platforms I organized in a similar manner, supporting individuals in acquiring OPT Visas. Read a conversation between Lian and I about the process: Visa = Yes.