LANGIT
2025
Artist Statement
The butterfly plays a central role in this installation. Its symmetrical form reflects my interest in geometry, while its delicate, fleeting presence speaks to the impermanence of life. Across cultures, butterflies are symbols of transformation, renewal, and the afterlife - often seen as messengers between the physical and spiritual worlds, offering quiet hope and peace to the observer.
This idea of transition and connection led me to Langit, the word for “sky” shared across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Through my practice of pattern-making, I reimagine the sky not just as something we see above us, but as a symbol of something greater—open, borderless, and deeply human. It becomes a shared space that connects us beyond language, culture, and belief.
Fragmented, fractal-like patterns emerge from the walls, creating a sense of movement and depth. This architectural arrangement transforms the exhibition space into a symbolic sky—a kind of habitat for the butterflies. In the mirror installation, this is echoed literally: the mirrored surfaces reflect both the butterflies and the viewer, inviting contemplation of the self within an infinite, shared space. The butterflies appear in various stages of their life cycle, symbolising souls in transition—ascending from the physical realm to the spiritual one.
In the BIMP-EAGA region, patterns have long served this same purpose of connection. For generations, women created handwoven patterns on mats, garments, baskets, and ceremonial cloths. Each pattern told a story or reflected a community’s values, worldview, or spiritual beliefs. Some marked status or special occasions, while others were believed to offer protection, fertility, or divine blessing. In this way, pattern-making became a language of repetition and rhythm, where beauty was infused with meaning and memory.
My practice draws on these traditions, particularly the geometric language of Islamic art, where abstraction and symmetry are used to reflect divine order and beauty. Across cultures, the act of creating patterns carries spiritual meaning. It is a quiet, meditative process - almost like a visual form of prayer. In contrast to today’s fast-paced, often stressful and mass-produced world, I choose to work with simple tools and my hands. This slower, more mindful approach allows me to be fully present. Each repeated shape becomes a moment of intention, reflection, and meaning.
With this piece, I invite viewers to reflect on what connects us. Like a single triangle, one life may seem small. But when arranged with others, it becomes part of something larger—a pattern, a community, a shared story under a shared sky.
The butterfly plays a central role in this installation. Its symmetrical form reflects my interest in geometry, while its delicate, fleeting presence speaks to the impermanence of life. Across cultures, butterflies are symbols of transformation, renewal, and the afterlife - often seen as messengers between the physical and spiritual worlds, offering quiet hope and peace to the observer.
This idea of transition and connection led me to Langit, the word for “sky” shared across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Through my practice of pattern-making, I reimagine the sky not just as something we see above us, but as a symbol of something greater—open, borderless, and deeply human. It becomes a shared space that connects us beyond language, culture, and belief.
Fragmented, fractal-like patterns emerge from the walls, creating a sense of movement and depth. This architectural arrangement transforms the exhibition space into a symbolic sky—a kind of habitat for the butterflies. In the mirror installation, this is echoed literally: the mirrored surfaces reflect both the butterflies and the viewer, inviting contemplation of the self within an infinite, shared space. The butterflies appear in various stages of their life cycle, symbolising souls in transition—ascending from the physical realm to the spiritual one.
In the BIMP-EAGA region, patterns have long served this same purpose of connection. For generations, women created handwoven patterns on mats, garments, baskets, and ceremonial cloths. Each pattern told a story or reflected a community’s values, worldview, or spiritual beliefs. Some marked status or special occasions, while others were believed to offer protection, fertility, or divine blessing. In this way, pattern-making became a language of repetition and rhythm, where beauty was infused with meaning and memory.
My practice draws on these traditions, particularly the geometric language of Islamic art, where abstraction and symmetry are used to reflect divine order and beauty. Across cultures, the act of creating patterns carries spiritual meaning. It is a quiet, meditative process - almost like a visual form of prayer. In contrast to today’s fast-paced, often stressful and mass-produced world, I choose to work with simple tools and my hands. This slower, more mindful approach allows me to be fully present. Each repeated shape becomes a moment of intention, reflection, and meaning.
With this piece, I invite viewers to reflect on what connects us. Like a single triangle, one life may seem small. But when arranged with others, it becomes part of something larger—a pattern, a community, a shared story under a shared sky.