Leftovers for Tradition
Regular price$1,800.00 Sale price
Erin Lee
Blown glass assemblage with bronze cutlery
Leftovers for Tradition explores my fragmented ideals of Korean tradition surrounding food and communal dining culture, commenting on the loss of connection that comes with growing up in a country foreign to my roots. I associate the strongest links to my heritage with food and shared meals as remnants of childhood memories from my early upbringing echo every time I eat Korean food. The vessels that together form a traditional table setting are more than just functional objects; they represent metaphorical sustenance of identity, belonging, and cultural connection.
Each translucent glass piece adorned with fading specks of colour mirrors the gradual erosion of my own cultural identity over time. The colours, inspired by those used in dancheong, reference harmony and balance through their ties to Korean history – apparent in everything from architecture to clothing. The engravings draw on nature and geometric patterns found in Korean tradition as I recall from my past, such as flowers and waves, as well as motifs derived from my own tattoos. Together, these symbols blend self-expression with ambiguous cultural memory, conveying my diasporic experience as I navigate identity through an Asian-Australian perspective.
Through my work, I encourage viewers to reflect on the evolving nature of their own cultural identity and to embrace all the complex ways in which communal traditions endure, transform, and fade.