Transplanted Light

This project observes a Japanese maple to explore how light and seasonal foliage mirror migration, adaptation, and belonging.

Artist Statement

The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) was introduced to Australia in the 19th century through botanical exchange. As a member of this migratory species, I arrived in the country over a century later, sharing a roof with this tree in our new home. Having long since taken root, the maple has become a familiar presence in my daily view. To me, this tree is more than scenery. It serves as a vital point of reference for navigating and locating my own sense of place in a new environment.

This series stems from a deep contemplation of time and change. Over a three-year period, I spent two years documenting the seasonal cycles of the leaves as they transitioned from tender green to yellow, orange, and red before their eventual descent. This silent, unfolding transformation mirrors the rhythm of my own adaptation to a new life. My work focuses on how the lens captures these subtle yet enduring dynamics, offering a space for continuous reflection.

During the creative process, I repeatedly observed sunlight filtering through the gaps in the foliage, watching the colors transform with the shifting seasons and times of day. By witnessing the interplay of light and shadow, I have gradually clarified my own perceptions of living in a foreign land. It is an exploration of an authentic sense of self emerging from the rise and fall of my surroundings.

Artworks

Photo Book Description

When a migratory species that arrived a century ago encounters a fellow traveler a century later, what landscapes of shared existence unfold?

The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) was introduced to Australia in the 19th century through botanical exchange. Over a century later, under a single roof in Sydney, it encountered another traveler who had crossed the ocean, a latecomer to this shared landscape. Coexisting in this new "home," the two grew familiar with one another, yet each remained bound to their distinct histories of movement.

Throughout two years of continuous observation, the creator documented how light filters through the leaves, from tender green to autumn gold and scorched red. These images transcend mere documentation of color; they function as an inquiry into the process of adaptation. How do shifting shadows and seasonal cycles silently intervene in the rhythm of one's life? What subtle clues regarding position, reference, and the search for self are hidden within the gaps of the layered foliage?

This is a long-term sensory pursuit. By distilling these subtle, enduring trajectories onto these pages, the creator invites the reader into an unknown terrain, one woven between the clustered leaves and the dappled interplay of light and shadow, where the search for meaning remains an unfolding experience.

Photobook Group Exhibition

2026 - 16th Annual Photobook Exhibition - Griffin Museum of Photography (US) (Exhibition Jun 12 – Sep 6, 2026)