Drifting Through

Artist Statement

I collect found objects and use them as the basis for my installations and drawings. Such objects possess an infinite past and an infinite future, but my hand lies in the place where past and future meet. Human beings only own things momentarily. Land, objects, even our bodies do not belong to us forever. I attempt to convey this truth through the objects I collect.

The unheard voices of driftwood, stones, paper scraps and other discarded things lead me to create my work. Everything that exists in this world is always in a state of flux, and everyone and everything is connected. My works will leave my hands too and will be placed in the hands of others, eventually becoming ashes and dust.

These thoughts are inspired by Buddhist Setsuwa tales and Buddhist scripture, which my father, a monk, has taught me since childhood. In contemporary society, where it is not possible to live without trying to possess or take things, Buddha’s teachings seem distant. I hope to become closer to his ideas through my work. Making art is an act of self-observation, an opportunity to see myself struggling and swaying. In Buddhist scripture, a mirror is often compared to a mind; my work is also a reflection in a mirror.


2013

This was part of Sharjah Biennial 11