Dig in, etch in your mind

The inspiration for this collection came
from a pair of copper shoes used in
funeral rites that I saw one day when I
was taken to a museum by the artist and
architect Morie Nishimura.
The shoes have a rocker and spikes on
them to help the deceased walk
smoothly on their way to heaven.
I decided to create a collection of items
which delicate to people passed away.

The jade necklace with God dug into it
that my grandmother in Taiwan always
wore, the hairpin that my grandmother in
Japan used to decorate her tied hair, the
classic table lamp in my grandfather's
room. I would like to go back to my
childhood, trace faint memories, and
bring them back to life in the present
day.

Engrave, translated from Japanese,
means to dig into, but it also means to
engrave into. I took the title to mean
something that is engraved in the heart.

We are encouraged by eloquent words,
but I also want to live our life without
being bound by words.
I want to cherish the feelings that remain
after I have chewed over and digested
the words given to me.

I would like to create something that I
would like to wear until my last day, as
well as something that I would like to
give to my loved ones.