Between Two Worlds
In this project, the tension between the fragility of rice paper and the resistance of linen installed in the gallery space visualises the silent, powerful current constituted of diaspora identity. It is a map of magnetic pulls toward assimilation and preservation, toward the language of the past and the language of the present, charting an identity that is, like the iron filings, becomes a pigment, leaving a footprint on the surfaces. It is remarked every time it is installed in a new site. Lydia’s multi-media installation explores the complexities of diaspora identity through material experimentation and spatial dynamics. Reflecting on the immigrant experience, this project utilises culturally significant materials, including linen and rice paper, to explore diaspora identity formation, family values, and resilience. Specifically, the work seeks to give form to the bilingual narratives that constantly compete and coalesce, as consciousness reflects on how one’s sense of self is perpetually fragmented and reshapes itself in a new cultural landscape. The qualities of traditional art-making materials are utilised to create a visual palimpsest of the diaspora experience. The objective is to ensure the work retains faint traces of each prior formation, symbolising how past performances of identity, though temporary, accumulate and inform the present, leaving behind a fragile record of diasporic journey.
