ARTIST STATEMENT
Our childhood has the power to affect the way we see the world today. Despite facing the complications of human life, we can find happiness on the simplest of things. To an extent, our own cultures can affect how we see comfort.
Prince Restaurant represents Hong Kong culture from a nostalgic context while referencing British colonialism. Recreating a 茶餐廳 (tea restaurant) setup, I found comfort sharing a simple meal alongside my family. While views of colonialism can depend on personal experiences, the childhoods of Hong Kongers including mine were undoubtedly affected by HK’s history and its economic globalisation.
ARTWORK PROCESS
When Prince Restaurant was under development, it had been three years since I began living with my parents in Brisbane. I had moved away from Hong Kong into a boarding house and didn’t have the privilege to make physical contact with anyone I knew. This experience made me yearn for familiarity, which influenced my interpretation of comfort – eating with loved ones. Hong Kong is known for its international economy, so elements of globalisation are also present: store-bought crockery and brandings. These together help create a space for comfort while referencing the complications of reality that constantly surround us.
