SNAG, Exhibition in Motion: Metamorphosis

Aurum: The Golden Year SNAG will celebrate its 50th Anniversary next year at the 2019 Chicago conference, The Loop: Coming Full Circle. The Exhibition in Motion (EiM) committee is seeking works that reflect this milestone. The EiM is a runway-type live exhibition event that takes place at the conference. Metamorphosis My proposed piece first appears to be an unassuming circular black collar with a hint of gold motifs. When the top layer of the collar is lifted up and over the head, it reveals a gold mesh which covers the entire head, transforming the piece into a helmet-like structure. The construction utilizes black card for the collar and gold foil for the mesh in between the collar. These materials ensure the piece is light and wearable. The piece measures approximately 22 by 22 by 15 inches. I hope to reflect in my work one's journey in pursuit of their dreams. When the collar is closed, it represents the start of our journey, ideas and inspiration motivates us to make our first step. As the collar opens up, the gold mesh between the collars is revealed, symbolising intertwined experiences that we gather along our journey. The word journey comes from the Latin word diurnum which means daily portion and the old French word jornee which means a day's work. In the context of an artist, a journey is a daily practise to improve your craft. There is no beginning and no end to this journey. Coming from an achievement driven society such as Singapore, I often find myself running to reach the end goal but feeling like I'm going nowhere. In such societies, gold is perceived as success, status, recognition and money. Success is elusive and often out of reach. I would like to challenge that notion and instead put forth the idea that gold is in wisdom and richness in mind achieved through patience and perseverance to carry on with our journey. When the piece is fully opened, it changes the way the wearer sees the world around her and vice versa, evoking the idea that a new state of mind is achieved. Butterflies on the mesh conveys the idea of metamorphosis and that the wearer has undergone a full transformation, thus a new emergence of self. Gold is in the journey that brings about wisdom and richness in mind.