Dragon bone
Setember 2022 - 2023
My work is based on the examination of the history of my family.While picking
up the parcels, I observed the variations of surname ‘Chen’ — Tan (Singapore).
This triggered me to investigate the story of the surnames of my grandfather's
brothers in Southeast Asia and the story of diaspora in geo-culture of
Southeast Asia through the lens of surname.
As a result of ethnic naturalization, dialect systems and colonialism, various versions of the surname Chen, as well as distinct English variants and even some new surnames emerged. This complex context is represented by the back of needlework, depicting the history of diaspora and succession.
As a result of ethnic naturalization, dialect systems and colonialism, various versions of the surname Chen, as well as distinct English variants and even some new surnames emerged. This complex context is represented by the back of needlework, depicting the history of diaspora and succession.
In UNIT 2, I attempted the surname component, attempting to provide a strong background for it. (click folder)
In Unit 3
I expanded on this concept by refining the boat part of the piece to create Dragon bone, which is a literal translation of the Chinese term for keel. As it were, the dragon bone is the backbone of a ship at sea. It is the most crucial and first part of building a ship. Similarly, the distinct story of a race begins with a surname. This work will be displayed in a dialect exhibition in China next year, the date of which is presently unknown owing to the pandemic embargo. However, this exhibition will complete and support the story of the return of these surname fragments from other places to China. The piece will be re-created and separated into three intentions as a result of this exhibiting opportunity.
Surname delivery
The work is currently being created. I dismantled the keel structure and redesigned it so that each section, when assembled, may be patched together to form the structure of the entire keel. These components will be sent from London to various places in South East Asia, where they will be embroidered by my discrete relatives with the Chen form variant of that country, and then returned to China to complete a whole.Theater flat
This concept will also be linked to the theatrical flat, which I discovered while building my first model when I discovered the appeal of cardboard scenography. The piece's keel-shaped appearance, as in traditional theatre, serves as the backdrop for the Theater flat in the diaspora story.Materials
The work will be made of silk and embroidered in response to the fact that silk was the mainstay of the trade at the start of life at sea. Simultaneously, the maritime trade routes from China's southern coast to countries in Southeast Asia and subsequently to Europe are today known as the Maritime Silk Road. In modern times, the Maritime Silk Road refers to any commercial traffic conducted by the maritime industry, not just the historical silk trade.Because of the epidemic's control in South East Asia and China, the task is still ongoing.
A friend from Vietnam, her surname is Tran, which is another spelling of Chen that comes from the Chaoshan dialect. Chaoshan is also my Chinese hometown.
