Expansion
Expansion delves into the complexities of diasporic identity, using plant forms and growth habits as metaphors for migration, adaptation, and transformation. Drawing inspiration from the Austronesian expansion and the Filipino diaspora, the work speaks to the interweaving of diverse cultural threads across time and space. The first terrarium, with its elegant phalaenopsis hybrids mounted on Malaysian driftwood, represents the journey of cultural exchange, where each flower, rooted yet reaching outward, mirrors the Filipino experience of hybridity and blending identities. Surrounding them, Saxifraga Stolonifera, an East Asian plant that spreads through runners, alludes to the fluid, expansive nature of identity itself—constantly growing, reaching, and establishing new connections, much like the diaspora's ongoing redefinition of self.
In contrast, the second terrarium, featuring the slow-growing Ludisia Discolor and the resilient Rabbit’s Foot Ferns, represents the deeper, slower processes of adaptation and resilience within the diasporic experience. These plants, known for their adaptability to varying conditions, embody the quiet strength required to maintain one's roots in unfamiliar soil. Moss and lava rocks, with their ability to anchor life in seemingly inhospitable environments, further symbolize how diasporic communities carve out spaces of belonging in new lands.
The aluminum framework supporting each tank, paired with the invitation to sit on circular tatami cushions, encourages an intimate, grounded experience—inviting viewers to engage with the materiality of both the plants and the exhibition itself. The work emphasizes the evolving, layered nature of identity, shaped by growth, displacement, and the ongoing process of expansion.
