Mali
Exhibited at Craft Victoria, 2025
Developed in residence at the Debra Porch Award from Creative Australia

Named after my mother, Mali is a handmade ornamental bag. She was born in Bangkok, Thailand in the 1960s, she and her brother lived on the edge of a banana plantation and fished at Pattaya beach. During my stay at the Debra Porch Award with Creative Australia / SAC Gallery, I learnt about the use of banana seeds in beading, and how to make traditional mulberry paper and to fishnet weave. This was a tactile way of connecting to my mother and learning something of the material and spiritual context of her upbringing. This work draws connections between the carrier bag, migration routes, and the living stories that are contained within organic materials.

Thanks to Celia Dottore for commissioning this piece.

Process