(text by artist)
我身本無鄉，心安是歸處」 白居易 《初出城留別》
人類歷史上的遷徙，背後具有各種因由，最根本上希望過更美好的生活，尋找可安心的樂土。從大航海時代旅人的遠航，到近代的遷徙離散，無論是人類慾望的追求，還是逃離災難，都帶著不同情緒期盼、憂愁不捨，在地方上交織出不同的生命軌跡，建立另一處歸屬。
行李箱都是人們遠行時常用到，裏面載著不同的文化和故事，載著那份對生命的渴望、期盼與不安，在歷史的長河裏生命有限，我們不能經歷所有，但舊物件─古老行李箱擁有我們沒有的經驗，透過在老物品上進行創作，探索過去旅程的痕跡，讓我們與那個時代進行對話，回溯過去與詢問未來。
地圖象徵一個時代，是人類探索、記錄甚至分割世界的成果，當中包含文明推進與權力慾望，同樣也是人們建造理想世界的藍圖。作品按照當時西方旅人、探險家、傳教士等遊記、地圖等文獻，從他們經驗當中幻想昔日的東方世界，回溯大航海時代殖民地開端，探索不同地方城市面對發展及人口遷徙等議題，追逐轉瞬即逝事物同時並向社會，及自身省視何謂樂園。
(translated)
‘I am not bound to where I was born. Home is where my heart is at peace.’ Bai Juyi
The reasons behind migration in human history vary, but it has always been an intrinsic yearning for a better life, and a search for a paradisal land. From the voyage by the travellers in the Age of Discovery to diasporas in modern history, humans held emotions of hope, grievance, and longing, no matter they migrated for desires or away from hardships. Their trajectories of life interweave at places, and create new places of belonging.
Suitcases are commonly used for long journeys. They carry different cultures and stories, transporting the desires, hopes, and anxieties for life. Human life is finite in the span of history and it is impossible for us to experience it all. Yet, old objects –– aged suitcases possess encounters that we don’t have. As I create on used objects and explore traces of past voyages, I converse with the long-gone era to backtrack the past and inspect the future.
Maps represent their concurrent times. They are the outcomes of human’s exploration and division of land, records of the advancement of civilisation and the hunger for power, and a blueprint to constructing an ideal world. My work references travel literature and maps by travellers from the west, adventurers, and missionaries. The historical East is reimagined based on their experiences to retrace the origins of colonies in the Age of Discovery, and examine urban issues such as development and population migration. As I pursue ephemeral subjects, I also behold the current society and introspect about my concept of utopia.
