a_woman

This series of sculptural installation is a depiction of my relationship with my sister after she passed away. Instead of drawing sources from my memory of her, I create works based on her symbolic reappearance in my life at present and my desires to maintain our sisterhood.
“A Woman Tired of Life” was based on excerpts of an Egyptian poem my sister transcribed in her notebook. I utilize her hand writing as a starting point to fathom her emotional activities during the planning of her suicide. (For more details and English translation of this poem, please read the end of this page.)

"A Woman Tired of Life," 2008, dimension variable, installation: mixed media, fan and sound.
(installation view at Arena1 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA)

"A Woman Tired of Life"(detail).

"A Woman Tired of Life"(detail).

This poem “A Dispute Over Suicide” is the oldest known written document about suicide,
also known as “Dialogue between a Man Tired of Life and his ‘Ba'” which was written by an
unnamed Egyptian writer during 1985-1773 BC.

The excerpts shown here in English translation:

Death is in my sight today,
Like the scent of lotus flowers,
Like sitting on the bank of drunkenness.

Death is in my sight today,
Like the smell of myrrh,
Like sitting under an awning on a windy day.

ps. Special Thanks to Dr. Ahmes Pahor, UK, helped me locate the English translation and detailed information of this poem.