Traces
2023
Project: Final Major Project
Location: London
“It can become incredibly dangerous when our stories are rewritten or ignored, because when we are denied identity, we become invisible.” (Briët, 2017)
Exploring Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage and cultural identity, Traces investigates the preservation of cultural identity beyond an anthropocentric perspective. The project navigates the confluence of heritage, anthropological landscapes, and narrative ecologies, adopting a chthulucene lens to carve out a generative third space. By reimagining materiality, form, and matter, Traces aims to unravel hidden narratives of Hong Kong's intangible past, present, and future through a multi-sensory approach.
This project challenges conventional notions of humanity, cultural identity, and materiality, whilst acknowledging the continuous act of making as a method of preservation, fostering active collaboration with both tangible and intangible elements. 'Traces' encapsulates the elusive thread of Hong Kong's cultural identity, inviting viewers to reconsider preconceptions of identity and engage with the evolving interplay between heritage, storytelling, and materiality.
“Through a multi sensory lens, how can heritage, narratives and materiality preserve the thread of Hong Kong’s cultural identity? From the lens of agarwood, salt and pearl how can these materials recapture the story of the past, present and future?”
Exploring Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage and cultural identity, Traces investigates the preservation of cultural identity beyond an anthropocentric perspective. The project navigates the confluence of heritage, anthropological landscapes, and narrative ecologies, adopting a chthulucene lens to carve out a generative third space. By reimagining materiality, form, and matter, Traces aims to unravel hidden narratives of Hong Kong's intangible past, present, and future through a multi-sensory approach.
This project challenges conventional notions of humanity, cultural identity, and materiality, whilst acknowledging the continuous act of making as a method of preservation, fostering active collaboration with both tangible and intangible elements. 'Traces' encapsulates the elusive thread of Hong Kong's cultural identity, inviting viewers to reconsider preconceptions of identity and engage with the evolving interplay between heritage, storytelling, and materiality.
“Through a multi sensory lens, how can heritage, narratives and materiality preserve the thread of Hong Kong’s cultural identity? From the lens of agarwood, salt and pearl how can these materials recapture the story of the past, present and future?”
Project featured on Dezeen.
The Concept
This project was driven by hope (Miyazaki, 2004), delving into my personal heritage to preserve a cultural Identity through materiality. ‘Traces’ explores the intersection between narrative ecologies, anthropological landscape and Identity. It aims to create a generative third space of exploration of self through form and matter.
FMP initial Brainstorm
research question
Design Management
It was critical to create a project timeline and design squiggle as a design framework to help further design thinking and communications throughout the project.
Project timeline
Design squiggle
Research & Ideation
Investigating salt, agarwood and pearl as markers of cultural heritage and identity. These items are not only representative of our history, but it symbolises the integration of our tangible and intangible rituals, cultural heritage, and ultimately, our identity.
I began this project through extensive research, documenting a timeline and map of the materials history, as well as undertaking a journey of the derive (Debord) through my grandmothers fishing village of sam mun tsai.
Heritage materials: Salt, agarwood, pearl
Photographed Materials
Materials timeline
Materials Map
sam mun tsai village Film Photography
dérive map of sam mun tsai village
Initial Experimentation
For this project to remain authentic, I wanted to explore the materiality without constraints. Exploring the textility, texture, smells of the material and what they might reveal. Whereby the process of making and exploration holds as much importance as the final outcome. Throughout this process, I documented my making journey in a journal I titled “The Art of Inquiry...”. I began by conducting simple experimentations (through the process of making), correspondence with the material, and allowing the materials to reveal their hidden narratives.
This project became about invisibility, traces of the threads of materiality, narrative and heritage. Exposing the intangible space inbetween.
FMP final outcome/experimentation brainstorm
The art of inquiry ...
Final Outcomes
Ideation of final outcomes
Final Outcome Process: ‘Traces of Hong Kong’
Taking inspiration from the golden record, I began to think about the intersection between sounds and archive and how that could be translated through materiality. Through this I wanted to create my own golden record that would serve as an archive of Hong Kong’s cultural identity through materiality.
Laser cut engraving experiment
Final Laser cut engraving image
Final Outcome: ‘Traces of Hong Kong’
Final Acrylic vinyl with Sleeve
Final Acrylic vinyl with materials
Final Outcome Process: ‘Code [x]’ Artefact
During my series of experimentations and correspondence with the material in print making, I thought there was something really interesting about how each element interacted with materiality, narratives and heritage from a different perspective. The materials became the protagonists, guiding the narrative of the artefact. Each element becomes a collective, each piece as important as the next, signifying a piece of Hong Kong’s cultural Identity.
The artefact serves as an archival encapsulation of Hong Kong’s narrative cultural identity through materiality. It serves as a reminder of the past, present, and undetermined future. The artefact becoming the codex of Hong Kong.
Final Outcome: ‘Code [x]’ Artefact
Final Outcome: [In] Visible Narratives
engage with the evolving interplay between heritage, storytelling, and materiality.
Let’s Collaborate!
I am an art director and interior architect from Hong Kong, based in London. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, I holistically integrate analogue and digital exploration to disrupt and challenge preconceived notions. My work is concept-driven, navigating the intersectionality between architecture, experiential design, and visual communication to curate a multi-sensory platform that delves into the intangible realm of the third space.
Get to know more about me here.
Get to know more about me here.
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