Plates of the Passed

 

Dogma Prize, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam / 2025

Installation: Recycled paper, photo transfer, acrylic, silk.

Size: 50 plates

 

 

Once upon a time, there was a girl living in a small village near Siem Reap City. She was raised by her single mother, who was responsible for caring for ten siblings. The girl was her mother’s only child. At that time, their home was far from school, and she had to walk two hours each way every day just to attend classes. Her mother would wake up early to sell eggs and wouldn’t return until evening. As a child, she often felt alone, unaware of the deeper struggles her family and community were enduring.

 

In 2010, she made the brave decision to speak with her mother about moving to the city in hopes of finding a better education. She eventually moved into an orphanage, where she stayed for two and a half years. During that time, she faced many challenges but slowly, her life began to change, step by step. Those were the moments and memories shared by a girl and another girl during their time at the orphanage scenes from daily life and the struggles their, along with other children, faced. The children had to wake up early and clean together. If someone broke the rules or made a mistake, they might not be allowed to eat that day. Sometimes, the children would secretly steal carrots or cucumbers at night and hide them under their pillows, trying to survive their hunger. If they arrived late from school, there wouldn’t be much food left only  rice with fish sauce or fish sauce, at best, two tiny fish (Garra fasciacauda). 

 

The "50 plates" symbolize the 50 days she went without a full meal. The plates come in different sizes, representing how people face different levels of hardship. No matter how big or small the struggle, people find a way to survive on their own or with time. Plates are about the food, hunger, and survival. The plates in two colors: black and white. Black represents nightmares of the memories, the suffering, and the dark moments. White represents good dreams a night of peaceful sleep or hope for a better future the girl. Sometimes, even a bad dream disappears when you wake up, but the past can remain in your soul no matter how hard you try to forget it. The sew with the silk is a wishes from family members blessings sent with those who leave home. These wishes stay with you, no matter how far you go. They are a reminder of your family's love and hope that everything will be okay.  

 

Around the world, children are still struggling surviving war, conflict and hunger. Even today, many people are doing their best just to have one meal a day. One day, perhaps, time will heal everything but we still don’t know when.