all that glisters
2023 / gold card-stock / varying sizes
In this collection, Ching Kai explores the interplay between function and form by reimagining everyday objects—such as ashtray, slotted spoon, comb and onigiri casing—through the delicate medium of paper. These objects, stripped of their utilitarian purpose and embellished with seemingly unnecessary intricacies, challenge viewers to reconsider their relationship with functionality and aesthetics.
By incorporating elaborate designs into otherwise mundane objects, Ching Kai invites a discourse on the legitimacy of these items as functional objects. Are they diminished in value due to their lack of practical use, or do they gain a new form of legitimacy through their transformation into objects of visual contemplation? This tension between practicality and beauty is central to the work.
In a world that often prioritises utility, Ching Kai questions whether an object’s worth is intrinsically tied to its function, or if its existence as an art form allows it to transcend the limitations of its intended purpose. Through the use of paper, a material associated with fragility and transience, these objects become metaphors for the fleeting nature of human engagement with the ordinary, now rendered extraordinary through intricate, non-functional designs.
First exhibited at "all that glisters", at Jane Provision Shop, Singapore, 2023.