Metempsychosis & Reincarnation

Abstract

A flower's beauty does not last forever; the leaves wilt, and the petals fall to the ground until next season when the cycle begins. The moment a flower blooms is the beginning moment it starts to fade away. Metempsychosis (reincarnation) has always interested me. This concept has helped me reduce the fear of death, giving me the strength to recognize that death is not a final destination because our lives are going to repeat in another modality. The impetus for this body of work comes from noticing Chinese social and political events repeating themselves throughout history. My thesis exhibition consists of a series of small-scaled enameled wearable artworks. The imagery I create with flowers falls into three different categories: seeding, blooming, and decaying. These flowers illustrate the concept of reincarnation: birth, growth, death, and returning to be reborn. The flower represents Chinese history and political protests; its life cycle is used to discuss this history, with hopes for a progressive future.