Lazy Chinese bonsai I, II & III

The “Lazy Chinese bonsai” series stems from an observation of everyday life in Singapore: that, while Singaporeans are fond of cultivating potted plants, these plants can sometimes end up looking rather unkempt from want of maintenance. It put Phua in mind of the stereotype of the hardworking Chinese. Their “entrepreneurial ethic”, in the words of an academic, goes “a long way toward explaining the economic success, particularly in business, of the Chinese in Southeast Asia.” The lazy Chinese bonsai, in other words, is a contradiction in terms. The artist admits to being amused by the red packets and other items of decoration that are often seen on potted plants – red, of course, being considered an auspicious colour – that can look as weathered and downtrodden as the cultivars they adorn. Here, these ornaments are incarnated as pastry-shaped motifs, only partially glazed in red to achieve the appearance of being exposed to the elements. The pastry motif is familiar to Phua’s visual vocabulary. They were shaped with vintage moulds, especially those used for savoury Teochew treats such as peng kway (“rice cake”). She is a collector of these moulds, and remarks: “I’m captivated by their symbolic nature, representing the humblest of crafts. The collection of moulds from unknown craftsmen in the past allows for the possibility to combine works from different parts of the world, at different points in time, in a single piece.” (Text by Louis Ho)