Dedicated to a beloved mother, this solo exhibition centers on flowers—a subject the artist is not so fond of, but one especially favored by her mom. In an expression of endearment, Yeo Kaa embraces the floral motif and creates an environment filled with blossoms while weaving in a glimpse of her family life. She emulates the classic practice of offering flowers, a gesture symbolic of love, respect, and admiration across cultures and traditions, by handcrafting flowers from paper and articulating its form through a combination of painting and print. The dazzling display of colors that has always characterized her art now merges into the appeal of silhouettes defined by delicate folds and curves, further animated by the air of sentimentality that comes with the works.

While the mass of flower reproductions fashioned out of paper reminds us of a familiar craft, embedded in this choice of material is the artist’s personal recollection of her family’s printing business. Such reference is more directly indicated in the replica, also made out of paper, of a printing machine that stands out amid a simulation of flowerbeds or gardens. Though an imitation of the real, these pieces still bear an organic allure being crafted from paper, still natural and not synthetic like plastic. These characteristics may well describe the inspiration behind the exhibition: a genuine affection but expressed in another language—the language of forms and images. A daughter pays tribute to her mother and rekindles a bond that blooms through time and distance.

Ruel Caasi, Curator