Life 5
Life was created in Shanghai in the spring of 2022, during one of the most difficult periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. My neighbourhood had been under strict lockdown for nearly three months. Separated from my partner by international borders and living far from my family, I lost both my work and income. I was not allowed to leave my home, even obtaining basic food became a daily struggle, while the cost of rent and living expenses remained overwhelming.
Emotionally, I moved through waves of anxiety, anger, and despair. Eventually, I reached a state of quiet acceptance, and it was in that silence that I began making this work. It represents one of the darkest chapters of my life. Words alone cannot fully convey the circumstances or the emotional weight of that time, so I chose instead to embed those experiences within the work itself.
The textile elements are made from cloths that I used to wipe excess oil paint from my brushes after painting. I have always kept objects that resonate with me—regardless of whether they appear useful or worthless—believing that one day they might be transformed into something meaningful and enduring.
The composition and colours are inspired by the Chinese philosophy of the Five Elements (Wu Xing) and their cycle of mutual generation: water nourishes wood, wood feeds fire, fire creates earth, earth bears metal, and metal enriches water. This continuous cycle reflects the movement and transformation of energy.
Halfway through making the piece, while I was still overwhelmed by hopelessness, I deliberately cut through the centre of the flowing composition, breaking the cycle of connection. I then repaired the rupture with densely stitched Sashiko embroidery. This intervention became both a physical and emotional gesture—a quiet wish to survive adversity and find renewal. By placing my own state of mind into the work, Life ultimately became a record of resilience, healing, and the possibility of rebirth.
Life 4
Life 4 was created in Shanghai in the spring of 2022, during the citywide COVID-19 lockdown. Surrounded by uncertainty and isolation, I chose to channel anxiety and emotional hardship into the act of making.
At the centre of the work are motifs inspired by the tattoos that my partner and I each received independently when we were very young. Although created long before we met, I have always found the symbolism behind them remarkably meaningful. My partner's tattoo represents breaking the cycle, while mine signifies freedom from worry. During the lockdown we were forced to live apart in different countries, unable to see one another or imagine when we might be reunited. Yet despite the physical distance, our emotional and spiritual connection remained unbroken.
The colour palette is guided by the Chinese philosophy of the Five Elements (Wu Xing) and the dynamic balance of mutual generation and restraint. Sharp red forms—representing Fire, associated with civilisation, vitality and transformation—pierce through rigid white structures, symbolising Metal, which embodies entrenched systems and resistance to change. Expanses of green—representing Wood, associated with growth, renewal and hope—reflect my enduring longing for freedom and the possibility of new beginnings.
Through this work, personal symbolism, traditional Chinese philosophy and lived experience converge, transforming a period of uncertainty into a quiet affirmation of resilience, connection and hope.
Oracle Bone Script Series: Confinement
Oil on canvas, 100cm x 120cm, 2022-2023
Created during the COVID-19 pandemic, this work reflects the experience of being confined within both private and public boundaries. Restrictions on movement transformed familiar spaces into invisible barriers, leaving individuals suspended between home, society and national borders. Drawing inspiration from the visual language of ancient Chinese oracle bone script, the work explores how isolation extends beyond physical limitation to become a psychological condition. It reflects on feelings of uncertainty, restraint and disconnection, while questioning how collective crises reshape our relationship with freedom, identity and the spaces we inhabit.
