NEW WORK 2024

Exhibition: Fortune, touring Aotearoa 2022 - 2025, with thanks to the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust

Fortune tells the story of my mother and grandmother, two of just 500 Chinese refugee wives and children permitted into NZ between 1939 and 1941. Lee Choy Kee and Yip Sue Yen were reunited with my grandfather Dixon Yip who, having paid the Chinese poll tax decades prior, had come to NZ to eke out a better future. Not every family was so lucky; many were separated forever.

《吉祥如意》（一件为我母亲90岁大寿精心准备的广式饮茶艺术作品）（2021-22年）

展览：《吉祥如意》新西兰全国巡展作品（2022-2025年）

《吉祥如意》讲述了我的母亲Yip Sue Yen和祖母Lee Choy Kee李彩贵在1939年至1941年间作为仅有的五百名难民妻儿中的两位获准入境新西兰的故事，两个女人最终与祖父Dixon Yip叶德顺得以团聚。祖父在几十年前缴纳了华人人头税（Chinese poll tax）来到新西兰只为谋求更好的未来。其实，并不是每个家庭都能这般幸运，许许多多的家庭永远地分隔于两地无法再相见。

《吉祥如意》（一件為我母親90歲大壽精心準備的廣式飲茶藝術作品）（2021-22年）

展覽：《吉祥如意》紐西蘭全國巡迴作品（2022-2025年）

《吉祥如意》講述了我的母親Yip Sue Yen和祖母Lee Choy Kee李彩貴在1939年至1941年間作為僅有的五百名難民妻兒中的兩位獲准入境新西蘭的故事，兩個女人最終與祖父Dixon Yip葉德順得以團聚。祖父在幾十年前繳納了華人人頭稅（Chinese poll tax）來到紐西蘭只為謀求更好的未來。其實，並不是每個家庭都能這般幸運，許許多多的家庭永遠地分隔於兩地無法再相見。

Exhibition: Belonging: Stories of New Zealand Contemporary Asian Artists, Bergman Gallery, 1 -31 August 2024

This painting is based on the menu displayed at Kelburn Fisheries in Wellington, New Zealand. My father Ng Sik Kwun ran this fish and chip shop from 1955 to 1987. After arriving in New Zealand in 1947, he worked two fulltime laundry jobs, one during the day and the other at night. After 8 years he had saved enough money to purchase the family home, marry my mother Yip Sue Yen, and buy his own business. Eating fish and chips from Kelburn Fisheries became a Friday night ritual for thousands of locals for 32 years.

Exhibition: Belonging: Stories of New Zealand Contemporary Asian Artists, Bergman Gallery, 1 -31 August 2024

When my father was a boy in China, he found himself in the midst of an incident that would forever bond him to his best friend, Doo Lee Yee. One day, Doo Lee rushed to Wing Loong, my father’s village, with the news his family’s water buffalo had escaped. Without a second thought, my father joined the frantic search, and together they combed the fields and waterways. The search took a perilous turn when Doo Lee slipped into a deep patch of water. In that moment of crisis, my father’s instincts kicked in; he managed to pull Doo Lee to safety, saving his life.

Both men later settled in New Zealand and they shared nearly 50 years of camaraderie, with my father calling Doo Lee every night for the latest news and strolling down to his takeaway on Courtenay Place every Saturday for a catch-up. Despite being several years younger, my father passed away first. Today, both men rest in the Seyip section of Makara Cemetery in Wellington.

Inspired by my childhood memories of my father's fish and chip shop, this sculpture is a tribute to a beloved fixture from those days. The Flipball Machine and the Potato Peeling Machine are seared into my memory. I can still hear the rhythmic "dooka-dooka-dooka-dooka-dooka" as Dad loaded the machine with potatoes, and moments later, a batch of roughly peeled spuds would emerge. This colorful sculpture captures the essence and nostalgia of that iconic machine.

Exhibition: to be displayed with Fortune at Wellington Museum, 30 November 2024 - 27 April, 2025.

Official immigration letter, hand-embroidered onto an original handkerchief made by my grandmother Yip Choy Kee at the Polo Handkerchief Factory, Wellington. The letter references my grandfather's (unsuccessful) attempt to bring the siblings of my grandmother and grandfather to New Zealand. It reads:

"Representations have been made to me by Mr. Dixon Yip, a Chinese, who conducts a laundry business at 53 Webb Street, Wellington.

Mr Dixon Yip asks that permission should be granted for this two brothers:

Mr. Yip Kim Ben – single, aged 23, of Canton

And Mr. Yip Tong Son – married, “ 24, “ “ to come to New Zealand.

He stated that his parents had owned an area of land in China, but this had been taken by the Communists.

They have not yet applied for permission to come to New Zealand.

Mr. Dixon Yip stated that he would guarantee his brothers work in his own business, and their accommodation in the 8-roomed house which he owns at 40 Abel Smith Street.

Mr Dixon Yip also asked whether permission could be granted for his wife’s sister, Lee Choy King, a widow with no children, aged 36 of Canton, to enter New Zealand. Her husband and her children died of famine during Japanese occupation. He also guaranteed employment and accommodation."

Exhibition: to be displayed with Fortune at Wellington Museum, 30 November 2024 - 27 April, 2025.

Official immigration letter, hand-embroidered onto an original handkerchief made by my grandmother Yip Choy Kee at the Polo Handkerchief Factory, Wellington. The letter references my grandfather's (unsuccessful) attempt to bring his Hong Kong-based brother and family to New Zealand. It reads:

"3 September 1962

Dear Mr. Yip,

As mentioned in his letter of 17 August, XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXX has asked me to reply to your request that your brother, Yip Kim Bing, with his wife and six children be permitted to come to New Zealand from Hong Kong.

You are probably aware that an application from this family could not be approved under existing policy and that I would be making an exception to policy did I approve. Before I could do so, therefore, I must be satisfied that I would be justified in making the exception.

I have studied the information you have supplied and find much in it which evokes my sympathy. I am mindful, however, of the many similar requests I have received of equal or greater merit in which I have not found it possible to give my approval.

As approval in this case would be inconsistent with my decisions in the many other cases, I’m sorry to inform you that I am not prepared to make the exception.

Yours sincerely,"

Inspired by childhood memories of unearthing old bottles in my parents' garden, this artwork reflects a deep connection to my family's journey and roots in Aotearoa New Zealand. My ancestors arrived in New Zealand in the 1880s and put down roots in various regions of the country. This piece features a row of soils, each collected from locations of personal and historical significance.

The soil from the Gore Countdown carpark at 22 Medway Street, formerly the site of my great-grandfather Ng Fon’s laundry, anchors the piece. Soil from the heritage-listed Ng King Brothers Chinese Market Garden Settlement, where my grandfather Ng Kew and other relatives once cultivated crops, marks the family's gradual move northwards. Another vital element is the soil from Timaru Cemetery, the resting place of my maternal great-grandfather Joe Lee. The soil from Makara Cemetery honours my parents and grandparents who are buried there. Christchurch soil represents my years studying at the New Zealand Broadcasting School, while Titirangi soil marks my current home. Each soil sample is a nod to the rich tapestry of my family's history and my personal journey.

Exhibition: A Place to Call Home, Bergman Gallery, 2023

Bauble is a kinetic Lucky Cat sculpture with moving eyes and a head that turns. He holds a bowl of chips in one hand and a pair of chopsticks in the other. Bauble is based on my father Ng Sik Kwun, a self-made man who worked 2 fulltime laundry shifts a day, enabling the purchase of a fish n chip business, Kelburn Fisheries, which he ran from 1955 to 1987.

《巴布》综合形式艺术作品（2023年）

展览：《一个称之为家的地方》伯格曼画廊（2023年）

“巴布”是个颇有动感的招财猫雕塑，他有着可移动的小眼睛和可转动的脑袋。他一手拿着一碗薯条，另一只手举着一双筷子。《巴布》的创作灵感来源于我的父亲Ng Sik Kwun，他是个自力更生的人，每天工作两个全职的洗衣房的班，他最后买下了一家名为Kelburn Fisheries的鱼薯店，并从1955年到1987年一直在经营这个生意。

《巴布》綜合形式藝術作品（2023年）

展覽：《一個稱之為家的地方》伯格曼畫廊（2023年）

巴布 是個頗有動感的招財貓雕塑，他有著可移動的小眼睛和可轉動的頭。他一手拿著一碗薯條，另一手舉著一雙筷子。 《巴布》的創作靈感來自我的父親Ng Sik Kwun，他是個自力更生的人，每天工作兩個全職的洗衣房的班，他最後買下了一家名為Kelburn Fisheries的魚薯店，並從1955年到1987年一直在經營這門生意。

Exhibitions:

A Place to Call Home, Bergman Gallery, 2023

Arts of Asia, Auckland Museum, 2024 onwards (smaller display)

A large circular table laden with knitted Chinese delicacies. Offering’s 8 place settings reference my immediate family: the black place settings represent my parents and sister who have passed on; the white settings represent the living. The title also refers to the Chinese tradition of offering food to the graves of our ancestors.

《敬献》综合形式艺术作品（2023年）

展览：《一个称之为家的地方》伯格曼画廊（2023年）

这是一张摆满了由手工编织而成的中国美食的大圆桌。《敬献》中的8个座位设置分别代表了我的家人：黑色的座位代表了已故的父母和姐妹，白色座位代表了尚在人世的亲人。这个主题也代表了我们向祖先供奉食物的中国传统。

《敬獻》綜合形式藝術作品（2023年）

展覽：《一個稱之為家的地方》伯格曼畫廊（2023年）

這是一張擺滿了由手工編織而成的中國美食的大圓桌。 《敬獻》中的8個座位設置分別代表了我的家人：黑色的座位代表了已故的父母和姐妹，白色座位代表了尚在人世的親人。這個主題也代表了我們向祖先供奉食物的中國傳統。

Exhibition: Crackerjack, Browne School of Art, 2021

My paternal grandparents Ng Kew and Ng Moy She ran the Chan Foon laundry in Mt Victoria, Wellington from 1946 to 1981. One of the last operating Chinese laundries in NZ, some of its contents are held in the Pātaka Art + Museum collection.

《Chan Foon 洗衣房》板上油画作品（2021年）

展览：《Crackerjack》布朗艺术学院（2021年）

我父系的祖父母Ng Kew和Ng Moy She曾于1946年到1981年间在惠灵顿维多利亚山（Mt Victoria, Wellington）地区经营一家名为Chan Foon laundry的洗衣房。这家店是新西兰最后数家还在运营的华人洗衣房之一，店内的一些物件收藏在帕塔卡艺术博物馆（Pātaka Art + Museum）。

《Chan Foon洗衣房》板上油畫作品（2021年）

展覽：《Crackerjack》布朗藝術學院（2021年）

我父系的祖父母Ng Kew和Ng Moy She曾於1946年到1981年間在惠靈頓維多利亞山（Mt Victoria, Wellington）地區經營一家名為Chan Foon laundry的洗衣房。這家店是紐西蘭最後數家還在經營的華人洗衣房之一，店內的一些物件收藏在帕塔卡藝術博物館（Pātaka Art + Museum）。