Mui-Ling Teh

Art | Photography | Poetry | Miniature Origami

 

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One with the Earth

Where was I when you left this world?
Could not believe the news I heard
I was getting ready for a party
The sky was clear, so bright and sunny

Didn’t think that plans could go so wrong
But life has not been fair all along.
When I learned you passed away
The morning sunshine turned into a sad day.

And now you are one with the earth,
Where new life is given birth.
Will I find your ashes there,
Or am I breathing them in the air?

There is a hole in my heart,
But I’ll mend it through my art.
From this tree you’ve given me
I will carve myself a key.

First half written in September 2011, second half September 2012.

The photo above is a self-portrait; the concept first originated when I noticed one day that my pendant and blazer almost matched in colour, and I was inspired to create an artwork named “The Colour of Wood”. However that idea changed as I recalled a memory flashback.

The artwork was created in the fall of 2009; shortly after wishing a friend of mine a Happy Birthday, I remembered a very sad memory around the same time a few years before. It was my first year in university, and only about a month had passed. I was invited to this girl’s birthday party. I had lots of work to do and I was debating on it; but finally I decided to go as it was the time to get to know people better. So on the day of the party I was getting ready; then suddenly I got a phone call saying that I should come home; my grandfather had just passed away…

My grandfather lived in Japan; and my mother was heading there to attend his funeral, so I went home for the weekend to see her off. I felt ashamed over what I was doing during the last minutes that my grandfather lived; getting ready for a party when I should have been getting work done. From then on I never went to a party during school (with the exception of one which was a bit like an exhibition; or term end celebrations).

The key around my neck was one I carved when I was 17 from a wood print block; which originally belonged to my grandfather. Now his ashes have become a part of the earth, growing into trees; some which later turn into man-made objects like my pendant.

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All content here is © Copyright Mui-Ling Teh, All Rights Reserved, and may not be used without my permission. Any site using my images against my conditions have not sought proper permission and should be reported or brought to my attention immediately.

 

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