ARTIST STATEMENT
The folded boat represents a Hmong cultural practice used to send money and good fortune to deceased ancestors. A thousand boats reflect on the loss of cultural practices. The whitewashing of Hmong orthodox practices sees youth pushing against their rich and colourful culture, denying connection to traditional rituals, refusing to commit to the practice, and fearing rejection for being different. The fear of being different consumes us, and we drift away from our culture, losing connection and understanding.
ARTWORK PROCESS
Inspired by the work of Foche and his use of folded paper, I created big folded paper boats using paper I screen-printed to mimic that used in traditional Hmong culture. I embedded the script onto the boat's surface to invite the audience to look deeply at the work. The boats have been burned to reflect the literal burning of migrant boats and the non-literal burning through the loss of cultural knowledge, connection and understanding.
