LONGING FOR HOME

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.

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. 

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.

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.

"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.