What does home mean to you?

 

For me, I have always imagined home to be a place to return to, where I feel safe and loved, through both good and bad times. Despite living in various places and with different people, I often feel I have yet to discover the home I seek.

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Growing up in concrete jungles, such as Shanghai and Tokyo, my appreciation for the beauty of nature didn’t come until later in life. A decade ago, I was introduced to the enchanting English countryside and its gardens, a revelation that captivated my soul. From that moment, I dreamed of creating my own garden, but living in central Tokyo, a city void of nature, makes this dream often feel unattainable. 

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Then, when the pandemic confined me to my tiny apartment, my longing for nature transformed into the desire to create an imaginary garden in my own space. I began to paint flowers, drawing inspiration first from the renowned Dutch gardener, Piet Oudolf's work, then expanding the scope of my painting to include plants and wildflowers I encountered during my travels around the world. Gradually, I cultivated my imaginary garden, turning my four white walls into the closest thing to a home I have ever known.

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My ongoing journey to find home may sometimes feel endless, yet I find joy in the process. Through trial and error, I discover what I value from new experiences, human connections and unexpected encounters at different phases in life, which come together to form a unique and beautiful whole—much like the artworks in this exhibition, made up of diverse flowers and plants, come together to form a beautifully diverse garden.

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"Longing for Home" is about the search for that perfect yet elusive place, as well as a celebration of the process of getting there. It invites you to explore the idea of finding your own space, even if only for a moment. It also encourages us to embrace unexpected discoveries, to simply be, and to enjoy wherever we find ourselves. Welcome to this exploration of home—both real and imagined.