Nucleus, 2024
Crocheted turmeric-dyed ramie, woven ramie strap, wire
19cmL x 19cmW x 13cmH
Created during my Art Ripple Taitung residency with Abus Bunun Traditional Weaving Workshop
Yellow has had a long cultural history and is said to be one of the oldest colour pigments, having been traced back to cave paintings. It is used to represent the sun, gold, and gods even till today. This work presents itself in different shades of yellow achieved during the natural dyeing process with Turmeric.
A thin strap (woven in the style of headbands of the traditional Bunun costume) winds itself around the 3 seemingly separate vessels, ultimately combining them into a single entity. Yet it is not there simply as a decorative element; it literally forms the core of the work.
The process of creating this sculpture starts from the middle, worked outwards, and has no true ‘bottom’ as both ends are open. While it resembles 3 separate vessels, a peek into the centre shows that it is a single form within. This represents how seemingly different entities might in fact share the same core, much like the Austronesian communities spread out across the world.
The shape of the 3 vessels are inspired by diamond-shaped vessels that I spotted often during my residency. They are lifted upwards by a lone tower in the middle. The form was inspired by the Terracotta Kernos, a kind of vessel used for multiple offerings with roots in the Mediterranean world during the prehistoric period.