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

Named after my mother, Mali is a handmade ornamental bag that connects personal memory, maternal lineage, and material culture. The work is named for my mother, who was born in Bangkok, Thailand in the 1960s and grew up on the edge of a banana plantation, fishing at Pattaya beach with her brother.

During my time as a recipient of the Debra Porch Award with Creative Australia / SAC Gallery, I learned about the use of banana seeds in beading, as well as how to make traditional mulberry paper and fishnet weave. These processes offered a tactile way of connecting to my mother and of learning more about the material and spiritual context of her upbringing. The work draws connections between the carrier bag, migration routes, and the living stories held within organic materials.

Process