[Exhibition] Open Studio at IMA artist residency

I like going for walks to build my sense of place. My first impression of Wells (Dakelh and Secwepemc Territory) is the tremendous pussy willow (銀柳) shrubs in the town echo the name of Willow River. This plant has a unique role in Chinese culture. At the Lunar New Year, Chinese families decorate their houses with fuzzy flowers. Walking in the willows provokes a feeling of nostalgia.

Seven is always my favourite number. In Chinese funeral customs, it is believed that the soul of the departed will return to their home seven days after the death.

𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒅 (一柳煙) is an altar (壇) inspired by the history of Chinese Miners Cabin in Barkerville (1909-1934), honouring the countless anonymous Chinese migrant workers in Canada and the life lost:

到訪卑斯省彷如走一趟舊亞洲電視節目《尋找他鄉的故事》。早於170年前（鴉片戰爭時期），華人遠渡重洋到北美尋求生計，淘金、採礦、開山起鐵路，填補白人不願做的苦工需求，為養家長期遭受剝削和歧視，只望賺一筆錢回鄉與家人團聚，然而最終工頭沒有履行支付返鄉船費的承諾，大部分華工因籌不到路費而滯留加拿大，客死他鄉。

BC省北部各鎮設有Chinese Cemetery，因遺失下葬紀錄，難以追尋屍骨主人，有人將之譯為「華工孤墳」，實在確切。之前參與南丫島歷史研究，聽幾位居民回憶家人行船、被賣豬仔的艱苦歲月，如今自己漂泊在外，對那些離鄉別井的故事多了體會。

往事，如煙輕，也如霧重。