A STATE OF BEING WARM
The process of learning to make steamed dumplings
Lai Chi Wo is a Hakka village where I had several meals including poon choi. I found the Hakka cuisine is a kind of comfort food and less dominated by expensive ingredients. The steamed dumplings at Lai Chi Wo are so delicious that it immediately made me want to learn how to make. Steamed dumpling is a popular snack for Hakka people. It is good to cook and eat together this dish with others, which helps enhance the relationship between people.
Both food and ceramics, which carry cultural meanings, are intimate to us in daily life. The processes of making food and ceramics are quite similar. They are craft of material transformation by temperature to create new substances. In this project, I had some intensive conversations with Kwan Ying at Lai Chi Wo and learnt how to make Hakka dumplings from her. I then taught other artists to do it. At the same time, I followed the same process to make ceramic dumplings. I try to see if I can find something inspire a vision that art is an inherently sociocultural activity and part of everyday life.