sik fan lah : rice bowl
"sik fan lah" is meticulously formed from countless individual grains, embodies the essence of sustenance and resilience. Rice, a staple that nourishes millions across the world, becomes both material and metaphor, each grain seemingly fragile on its own, yet together forming a vessel of strength and endurance.
The bowl reflects how modest, everyday acts accumulate into the foundations of life. By using rice as the medium, the work highlights the quiet, often overlooked forces that sustain communities and shape cultures. It also gestures toward how regional rice trade transformed Southeast Asia’s physical and economic landscapes. As rice exports surged in Southeast Asia, agricultural frontiers expanded rapidly; wetlands were converted into paddies, rivers became arteries of commerce, and land use shifted dramatically.
Delicate yet enduring, the piece speaks to the paradox of rice itself: humble and ordinary, yet powerful enough to sustain civilizations. It invites reflection on the unseen labor of survival, the weight carried in the simplest of forms, and the deep cultural memory held in a single bowl of rice.
sik fan lah : nü
This sculpture, crafted from rice, embodies the silent yet foundational contributions of women throughout history. Rice, a staple food that sustains millions, symbolizes nourishment, resilience, and survival—qualities that mirror the often unseen yet essential roles women have played in shaping economies, communities, and households.
By using rice as the medium, this piece critiques the traditional relegation of women to the background, where their labor—whether in agriculture, caregiving, or domestic work—has been undervalued despite being crucial to societal growth. Women have been the invisible backbone of economies, driving prosperity through unpaid and unrecognized labor. From tending fields to managing homes, from nurturing future generations to fostering communal well-being, their contributions have been absorbed into the fabric of daily life, often without acknowledgment.
This work challenges viewers to reconsider historical narratives that have sidelined women’s efforts. It calls for recognition, respect, and a redefinition of value—one that places women’s contributions at the forefront rather than in the shadows. The delicate yet enduring nature of rice mirrors the paradox of women’s strength: often perceived as fragile but holding the power to sustain civilizations.
Through this sculpture, we are invited to reflect on the weight of labor, the cost of invisibility, and the urgent need to reframe our collective memory to honor those who have shaped our world from behind the scenes.
