Wistful

Longing for her home back in Malaysia, the colors that used to be bright and cheerful suddenly turned dull as she created this series of works. Valerie began to approach materials that were available in her surrounding. Giving each material a symbolic meaning that reflects the thoughts, feelings, and situation of that moment. 

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Departing from her colourful series, she began to experiment with materials such as Chinese Papers, coffee beans, Chinese tea leaves, and Chinese ink to convey her struggles with cultural differences between her identity as a Malaysian and a Chinese residing in Taiwan.

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Chinese ink that reflects her Chinese ethnicity, the coffee beans that reminded her of Malaysia, the Chinese tea that belongs to Taiwan, and the watercolour that was only available to her. Using different materials she created her own world of melancholy and peace during the difficult times, a world that reflects a mix of different identities.