Cultural Research Project > COTTON

The cycle of continuity
The cycle of continuity
Xinjiang cotton seeds, cotton, cotton thread, wool, soil from Taiwan, plant specimens, Photo printed, mixed media
2023

This is a cotton specimen grown from cotton seeds harvested in Xinjiang. The material itself came to Hong Kong through trade and transportation from China to be made into circular textiles, and then came across the ocean to Taiwan. The artist buried this piece of textile with was woven with cotton seeds and yarns in the soil and it took more than two years until it bloomed and had cotton bolls. The work shows the growth process of cotton plants to referring the process of countries, ethnic groups and life. Due to the process of immigration, migration, growing root and reproduction, people must adapt to the natural environment and adjusted their living conditions. The work here responds to social issues such as genocide, policy decisions, and human rights oppression involved in the cotton industry, and extends the discussion on the migration of Hakka groups from China to Hong Kong and Taiwan.