OTHER ARTWORK
A TABLE FOR THREE GENERATIONS - 2022
Acrylic paint on wooden board
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Exhibited at the Wet Paint Collective’s March 2023 group show at the Balmain Watch House
To tell the story of my grandmother, my mother and myself through food, I have set an imaginary table with foods linked to memories and identity. There is a pathway from traditional to modern; from pungent fruits to trendy cafe fare.
My grandmother, Suwan Engkaninan, represents tradition – foods that are beautiful because they have been beloved through time. I associate her with fried mackerels for breakfast; and reeking durians and fragrant lychees. The tong yip, a vivid yellow dessert, is a syrupy delight we eat in memory of her, it was her favourite.
My mother, with her ‘90s chic hair and her oversized glasses, shows me the ingenuity of migrants who must make a new life for themselves as strangers in a strange land. Udomsri Low (nee Engkaninan), made a life for herself in Australia after moving here in her late teens. The gai yang (Thai roast chicken) is a crowd-pleaser. Usually served with som tum, for a lack of green papaya, she adapted hers with grated carrot. The middle panel pays tribute to the flavours of her homeland and her adaptation to Aussie life.
I am the future – convenience food, confectionery in plastic instead of fish on banana leaves. I am first-generation Australian-born. The avocado on toast is the iconic, ruinous breakfast of my generation. The flat white celebrates coffee culture and my love of a good brew. The Vegemite and Caramello are treats I both enjoy and have provided to friends around the world to give them a taste of my culture. That way, the journey continues.
HOLY - after William-Adolphe Bouguereau - 2023
Acrylic paint on wooden board
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Exhibited at the Wet Paint Collective’s March 2023 group show at the Balmain Watch House
This painting is based on Bouguereau's painting The Abduction of Psyche (1895). It shows the "sickly sweet" romance of Cupid and Psyche. Intended as a lovecore artwork for a Valentine's Day art trade, the recipient chose the word 'holy' from a list. All very fitting as the lovers are ascending to heaven to be married.
ASK ME ABOUT MY BAND - 2023
Acrylic, spray paint and rub-on lettering on wooden board
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Exhibited at the Wet Paint Collective’s August 2023 group show at the Balmain Watch House
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If – as some people believe – the Devil is responsible for rock ‘n’ roll music, then he’s behind some pretty iconic bands. Featuring my original characters: Grumpy Ghosts, Anonymous Rabbit and Stitch Bear.
WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE ASIAN MERMAIDS? - 2021
Fired glazes on a supplied handcrafted ramen bowl
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Exhibited at Art the Plate, Shinmachi, Newtown
Is a mermaid a mirror for the idealised dream of a woman? If so, why is she so often blonde or a redhead? As an adult, I bought several gothic dolls, all with long black hair because I finally felt I could see myself represented. My mermaid is Asian because it has taken me most of my life to see my own hair as aspirational. She pours the elixir of youth - which Asian women are rumoured to possess - from her world to ours.
RICHARD'S ROOM - 2021
Acrylic paint on wooden board
The ‘Richard’ in question is my partner and in this dream-like room, there are nods to all the things he loves (except me, I suppose): star-gazing, Art Deco, reading, Kobe the Pomeranian, chess-playing, cake-eating and more.
ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER - 2021
Acrylic paint on wooden board
My mother is two kinds of big cat: a Leo, born in the Year of the Tiger. My sister and I shelter close to her, a rat and an ox respectively. The mountains are those of Canberra, where she made her home, but the river represents the one she swam in while growing up in Thailand. Other nods to her Thai identity include the orchid and durian. Each fruit and flower represents some facet of her - for instance, the hibiscus represents my father, the man she loved.
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