26 × 21 in. A large-scale fine art piece exploring identity, assimilation, and visibility through metaphor. The elephant tomato enclosed within a pea pod serves as a symbolic representation of my experience growing up Asian American in spaces where Asian identities were uncommon. Referencing the phrase “the elephant in the room,” the work examines the tension of pretending to belong—of denying one’s own identity in order to fit into an environment not built for you. Through surreal imagery, the piece addresses quiet struggles of self-erasure, difference, and the pressure to assimilate.