As Boat Refugees, Mom and Grandma often talked about their escape from Vietnam and their time in the refugee camp in Malaysia. These stories, meant to inspire gratitude and appreciation, also instilled a sense of fear and trauma. How do these stories affect those who listen? How will the retelling of a story affect the next generation?
By blending textiles, found objects, and process with purpose and intention, installations become a gathering point for stories – allowing for the deconstruction, reconstruction, and potential transformation of narratives for discussion about the past, present, and future.
It’s my hope that through process-driven research and intentional making of these textile installations, an insight will be gained as to how familial narratives are prioritised. How are stories selected to be passed on, and what is the intergenerational impact? Which stories will continue to be told, while others fade over time.
