Mother's warmth in a bowl

Thịt kho, braised pork and egg, is a dish found in nearly every Vietnamese household. But for me, it’s more than a recipe. It’s the taste of home, of quiet afternoons, and of my mum’s love - sweet, savory, and slow-simmered.

This painting is deeply personal. The figure bathing in the dish is my mother. A symbol of peace, warmth, and care. Growing up, she would often make thịt kho on gentle days when we needed comfort. It wasn’t just a meal. It was a moment, a feeling.

It also recalls a specific memory: after-school swimming lessons. My sister and I would play in the water while Mum took lessons alongside us. We were all learning together in our own ways. That image of her floating, present, happy — stayed with me.

This work brings together those emotions: a surreal blend of food, memory, and maternal tenderness. It’s my way of honouring how love is passed down, not through grand gestures, but through everyday acts like cooking. A dish like thịt kho may seem simple, but it carries a plethora of generational love.

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I’m an Asian Australian artist exploring the emotional weight of culture, memory, and the way we see the world, or sometimes miss it. My work blends personal experience with surreal imagery, often grounded in my Vietnamese background. I’m fascinated by how small, everyday moments like a dish, a routine, or a childhood memory can carry deep generational meaning. These moments become symbols in my paintings, often re-imagined through a dreamlike lens.

I’ve always been curious about how the mind works. I love philosophy, the subconscious, and the idea that there’s more beneath the surface. Thoughts, memories, and stories we don’t always have the words for. I try to express that space between feeling and knowing in my work.

Culture is something I wear proudly. It’s not just where I come from, it’s how I think, how I create, and how I connect. My art is a way of reclaiming softness, exploring identity, and inviting others to pause and look a little closer.

Through paint, I aim to honour what’s passed down, question what’s around us, and open up space for feeling, reflection, and shared experience.