





Rice is Greener on the Other Side
2024
Porcelain photo (Cooked rice and mold fungi)
47x35 inches each, a set of 3
This work was created after I moved to the U.S., where the humidity and weather differ greatly from my hometown, Hong Kong. I live in a neighbourhood called Butterfly Valley, where moths frequently appear as uninvited guests. In folklore, moths are believed to carry the spirits of ancestors returning to visit their homes.
I sculpt a moth from rice and color it with fungi by controlling temperature and humidity to mirror the environment of Hong Kong. The fungi growing on fresh rice reflects the passage of time and evokes a sense of longing. When I return home, will it still feel the same? Will the moth still linger by my summer window?
This work uses rice as a medium to explore the emotional landscape of leaving and returning home. The rotted rice also playfully confronts cultural stereotypes, often projected onto Asians, particularly Chinese. A black-and-white photograph, titled "Eating Rice, China," was found at the American Museum of Natural History and later recolored into postcards.
Exhibition and commission work with WMA:
Sushi Grass in Paradise & Greener Rice on The Other Side
Curated by Anthony Yung
Artists: Holly Lee & Sharon Lee
Exhibition Event:
The Rice is Greener on the Other Side: An art practice informed by moulding and molding
A conversation between curator Anthony Yung and artist Sharon Lee