just keep going

 

history

paper & wire, 12 x 5.4 x 3.8 cm



Didn't think much of any particular history while making this spoon as it just so happened that I found the text torn in half among my paper scraps. The meaning of the word as his-story struck me. Isn't that the truth?



Recently, I came across some beautiful photographs of traditional clothing and textiles on Pinterest, which somehow led to some disturbing images of Chinese bound feet and half-naked mutilated eunuchs. I know they existed but didn't know the bound feet have been around for more than a thousand freakin' years and the eunuchs twice as long. Both were not banished until the 20th century. How could it take so long for something so wrong to stop happening? From the last eunuch I can almost understand but the ugly painful bound feet? Not really.

John said I am not understanding how deeply rooted the kind of thinking was at the time. Maybe I would do it too, given the circumstances. Those bound feet actually were never given a choice since their mothers/guardians started binding them as early as 3 or 4 years old to stop them from growing. So a grown woman with the size of a three-year-old feet was ideal beauty at the time. How could that be ok for a time span of a millennium? That's like 30 generations of billions and billions of women not being able to run freely for life.



Is it not much different now? What things will future generations look at us and be horrified about?

lights and echos

My biggest spoon yet. Cannot hear the ocean with it though.




Sound. thread, beeswax, paper & wire, 29.5 x 13 x 6 cm




Lights dancing into the night. Sisters secretly giggling over the brothers' echo laughing. Can't wait to be home with loved ones.

a void

Void. thread on paper, 3.5 x 7 cm

Part of the ongoing Little Undies series that I have started back in 2009. Found some new ones that I had forgotten about...

Boyshorts. fabric & thread on paper, 3.7 x 5.5 cm


Sunshine. fabric & thread on paper, 5 x 6.5 cm


Hot Hot. plastic & thread on paper, 6.5 x 10 cm

There is a lot of fumbling around in the studio as I try to pick up where I had left off. It's like trying to piece together different selves from before and now, and the edges are not quite fitting.

These underwear pieces are like little sketches, circling around the theme of being a woman, a girl, something innocent, possibly sexy, naughty, taboo-ish. I think I can jump right in. Only thing is it feels like such an incredible indulgence to be sitting around making these things when there is so much wrong going on in the world.

joy

somewhere in the middle

Thank you, dear Marjojo, for the push to get me back here. It's been so long i didn't know where to start but Erin, you are so right (and wise), that i just need to start in the middle. I had an awesome post written up in my head awhile ago but for the life of me, i can't remember any of it! So i am starting back again somewhere else...for real now.

Sad that i don't have any new artwork to share. My basement studio looks so forlorn and dusty. I can't believe i haven't completed any art for over a year! what kind of artist does that make me, if even one at all?? :(...

But my life has felt fuller and more meaningful since having this little one:


Jaksen @ almost 3 months, taken in June last year. Thank you, Aunt Kazu for this awesome onesie!

He is walking and throwing tantrums now but still super goofy and super cute. People are amazed (surprised) such a beautiful being came from John and me. what the heck but i'll take it. 

 
1 year old! taken this past June.

This kid likes to play ping pong and say duck and fish. I'm still waiting to hear someone call me mommy...

So like this post, my life is all baby baby now. We have started doing chores together, like washing dishes and sweeping the floor. Hopefully, soon he'll help me clean up my studio and we can make art together!

womb

paper, eggshell pieces, work in progress



Happy new year, everyone! I didn't mean to be away so long...thank you to those who are still checking up on me. You guys are plain awesome :).

Sometimes i wish i had started this blog anonymously so i can feel more free to share whatever is on my mind. There is something i've been wanting the whole world to know but waiting for it to feel more real and to be showing more...I'm going to have a baby, you guys! AND so is my sister!! we are due within a week from one another. what are the chances of that?? Our babies will be like twin cousins. double joy yeah! :)). One of the happiest moments of my life when i found out.

The first three months have passed by sooo slowly. Aside from making it to work during the day, i was pretty much useless the rest of time. Just ate and laid around like a lazy princess, occasionally yelling at John for something or another. heh. poor guy. That's what guys get for not being the one to get pregnant. I don't know how my mom managed to go through all three times with us when she was throwing up constantly. she couldn't even drink water without puking. Man i only threw up once every week or two, and that was bad enough for me to think I am definitely not going through this again...

oh But then my stomach got hard, the nausea went away and i'm feeling this crazy little lump protruding at the lower ab out of nowhere. (Beginning of second trimester.) It was such a creepy feeling. like some alien thing inside me. Doctor said it was baby's leg or foot. It's strange but i found myself falling in love with that leg thing.

And now the days and weeks are going by way too fast. I can barely believe that it's only 3 more months to go! I'm so annoyed i didn't get a chance to take a picture of my belly a few weeks ago when it was like a little watermelon. Now it is a lot rounder and not as cute anymore.

Back in college, one of the themes i was kind of obsessed in exploring was the pregnant body. Made some prints and sculptures of it. But now that i'm actually in this body, i have barely documented anything of it. Hopefully, in the next couple of months, i'll have something more to show...

a cleansing

goodbye fears
goodbye time
goodbye waiting


beeswax, thread, paper & wire
34.5 x 16.5 x 3.5 cm

wounded

It's not really as fleshy and creepy-looking as above. More like this here:




scar, wounded series, wax, string, paper & wire, 13 x 2.8 cm

I made it last week. It's a new addition to the spoon series i thought i was done with last November:



It feels like i have only touched on the surface of what i want to explore. There should be hundreds more.

eggshell spoons

paper, wire, eggshells, works in progress



Something i've been working on these past couple of weeks.



i want to make wings out of you.



John thinks these look like sperms.



Thinking of breath, letting go, keeping steady.

blood sisters

This is for you, ding dong.

seeds and lace

happy new year! rabbit rabbit.