路-passage
Photo Credit: @soggybreadissadThis is a one year project that investigated a body as a site of liminality through material transformation of paper-making. It consists of a body of paper installations that are made from her family heirloom garments. The installations were activated by her performance, poetry, and soundscape that were created in collaboration with Andrew Wills.
I represent a cycle of the body - constantly breaking and becoming, a site which is relational, a vessel that carries memories and moves us forward.
路 (Michi) - passage explores the body as a liminal site. A body carries collective memories, that is connective tissue between self and the world. I work with the transformative process of papermaking, breaking down worn garments into pulp to create paper sheets, sculptural forms, and typography. Living with severe eczema since childhood, my relationship with garments has been always ambivalent: garments can be either protection or irritant to my wounded skin. The garments to me are both an extension of my skin and the abrasive environment. My practice takes this ambivalence and reclaims my voice by using garments as my materials. Donated by family from Japan and friends in Meanjin, each of them carries memory of the wearer.
A list of garments used for this project - each pieces has a story, either passed down by my family or friends in Japan, or purchased from my local opp shops. Those garments become a map of my cross cultural relationship with people and place.
1 記憶 (kioku) - memory, 2025, Handmade paper made from my grandmother’s 襦袢 (juban) - tunic with floral patterns, Molly’s favorite blue stripe shirt, Truna’s blue tea towel, and a yellow 着物(kimono) sent from my mum, 101x236cm
2 故郷 (kokyoh) - home, 2025, Handmade paper made from Louise’s mum’s blue jeans, a pair of green pants from Yesterday Thrift Shop in West End, my mum’s white 襦袢 (juban) - neglige, 100x236cm
3 面影 (omokage) - reminiscence, 2025, Handmade paper made from my black work pants, my mum’s blue jeans, a brown cotton shirt from Vinnies West End, 120x236cm
4 春雨 (harusame) - spring rain, 2025, Handmade paper made from a pair of purple jeans from my aunt in Ishikawa, 100x 300cm (dimension variable)
5 殻 (kara)-Shell, 2025, Unrefined papermaking pulp made from my mum’s 襦袢, dimensions variable
6 殻II-Shell II, 2025, Unrefined papermaking pulp made from Louise’s mum’s blue pajama pants and a pink 手拭い (tenugui) - handkerchief that I brought from Japan, my mum’s blue jeans, wire, dimensions variable
7 殻III-Shell III, 2025, Unrefined papermaking pulp made from my favorite brown shirt I brought from Japan, wire, dimensions variable
8 殻IV-Shell IV, 2025, Unrefined papermaking pulp made from a pair of green pants from Yesterday Thrift Shop in West End, vines I collected during the walk by the river, dimension variable
9 殻V-Shell V, 2025, Unrefined papermaking pulp made from my mum’s juban, and king palm branch that I collected during the walk by the river, dimension variable
Photo Credit: Bee Maree and Soggybreadissad