One morning, I woke up and thought, “Why not create something red?”

It’s funny, considering red is highly esteemed and loved in my culture, yet I’ve always kept my distance from it. My aversion dates back to being forced into red clothes by my mother as a child, setting “red and blue” as the colors representing “others” and “myself.”

As the Dragon Year of 2024 approached, I crafted a dragon-shaped vase, choosing red and blue as the primary colors. In the Five Elements, red symbolizes fire, while blue represents water, colors that both complement and counterbalance each other.

The red, enveloped by blue, signifies my journey of self-discovery, akin to embracing and understanding the culture I once sought to escape. This piece is a reflection of that journey.