2023

"What if I need it later?"

oil paint on canvas, scrap nails

Pinned to the wall with mismatched nails is a large piece of leftover canvas with an “unusable” thin scrap. On the thinner piece of the scrap canvas, a row of household objects are captured compactly in oil paint. Among these objects are a Chinese vase and two porcelain eggs, a Buddha statue on top of two piggy banks, a Yan Yan strawberry snack, containers of tupperware, stacks of clothes, and an unnecessary amount of boxes of crockpots. Reminiscent of their childhood home, Jade Wong paints these objects with the scarcity mindset that immigrant families hold in mind. When one grows up with so little, it becomes imperative to save everything and not throw anything away in case it is of use in the future– “What if I need it later?” Through this piece, Wong seeks to explore the space in which the generally good practice of reusing items until their completion and not wasting borders into a more unhealthy habit of hoarding.

Displayed at Jannotta Gallery, Brown Fine Arts Center Dec. 2023 - Feb 2024.