Curatorial Rationale

My exhibition centres on the idea of the appreciation and continuation of my cultural identity. Residing on Australia land, as a second-generation Chinese-Malaysian immigrant, I often felt a sense of difference from my Western peers. This cultural difference often made it challenging navigating between the expectations of my heritage and my surroundings. However, over time I learned to embrace and celebrate my cultural background integrated with my Australian upbringing. I came to see aspects that made me different not as a barriers but as an important part of my identity. Therefore, in my artwork I have expressed the joyous parts of my identity, hoping to invite viewers to connect and appreciate these elements of my experience. In my artworks, I have explored the multifaceted influences that has contributed including the familial and religious aspects.

I am influenced by contemporary artists that explore their own diverse backgrounds and cultures, especially Catalina Cheng and Ah Xian.  These artists exhibit their intersectional identities of the East and West.  Hence similar to these artists, my artworks captures appreciation towards my interconnected cultures. The artworks I have created for this exhibition explore the various aspects and influences of my identity, and they remain visually connected by the colour red. Symbolic of luck and fortune in Chinese culture, I have weaved hints of this vibrant colour through my artworks such as through Chinese hanging ornaments to showcase my appreciation of my Chinese background. To reinforce the visual and conceptual connections, I have also employed the imagery of Chinese Zodiacs, reflective of the connection between Chinese divinity and family.

I have arranged my artworks in a linear sequence, positioning them symmetrically around the centre piece. This layout reflects the equal importance of these influences in shaping my identity.  The centre piece of the exhibition is ‘Heart of Home’, a long horizontal oil painting that immediately captures the viewer’s gaze. This narrative composition serves as the focal point, inviting the viewers to observe the importance of familial relationships in my identity. The movement in the artwork, guides the viewers eyes from left to right in a chronological order depicting the notion of continuation. This aspect is represented through the shared routines with family, through cooking and eating together which allows for these important cultures to be passed on. To the right of the centre piece explores various familial influences. This idea is characterised with the use of figures of my family members, a common subject matter that visually connects my overarching concepts. To the immediate right of ‘Heart of Home’  viewers are greeted with ‘Eat Together, Stay Together’, a light-hearted oil painting that immerses the viewers into the joys of my family, and highlights the significance of sharing a meal in my family. These artworks are based on photographs from actual occasions, capturing intimate moments in time.  To reinforce the familial influences, on the right below the centre piece also features ‘Zodiac of the Dozen’, a ceramic vase that figuratively represents familial unity through the illustration of zodiac animals, facing the same direction to emphasise the continuity of these beliefs and traditions.

As viewers move to the left of the central focus, they are greeted with the various cultural and religious influences of my identity. To the immediate left of the central piece is ‘Self-portrait at the Alter’ inviting the viewers for a moment of reflection. Moving further left, viewers are greeted with ‘Hands of Tradition’ symbolising the inheritance of cultural practices including folding joss paper and the continuation of these customs through generations. I have used oil paints as primary medium to realistically depict cultural customs and practice and capture the intricate details of my heritage and to provoke thought and curiosity from the viewers as the observe the artworks. Placed on a plinth below the centre piece features ‘Ceramic self-portrait’ on the left, using floral imagery to depict the cultural intersection of my Australian, Chinese and Malaysian background. This ceramic bust is depicted in a pose of quiet contemplation, a contrast from the oil paintings filled with busy figures. Instead, this self-portrait mirrors my efforts to reflect upon my heritage, provoking the viewers to consider the elements that contribute to my identity but also to theirs.