Pearl Necklace
The Pearl Necklace is a multimedia installation consisting of seven hand-drawn animated short clips, each hidden behind a corresponding sculpted opera mask. It tells a multi-generational story of a girl and a woman who both have a prized possession: a pearl necklace. Each has a contrasting relationship to the object, exploring the tension between the rewards of labour and the grace of a gift. The project blends traditional Chinese opera motifs with contemporary influences, creating an interwoven experience of past and present.
The animated clips range from 1:17 to 1:43 minutes in length and is a continuous loop. They are hand-drawn with ink and calligraphy pens, then digitally composed. As the non-narrative story transitions between the scenes, the characters overlap, creating a third visual dialogue between the woman and the girl. Emotions are expressed through opera masks and the meanings each colour symbolize. The ears of each mask serve as handles for lifting and viewing the animations. The sound component is a 14-minute ambient loop that reflects the emotions and actions within the animations but is not tied to any specific clip. It will play independently, aiming to trigger memory connections between what is heard and what is seen.
The Pearl Necklace is inspired by my maternal grandmother, who was a Chinese opera singer before the Cultural Revolution. After I immigrated to Canada, the only object I had to remember her by was the pearl necklace she gave me when I was a little girl.
Sound Design: Westerly Henry
This project was created through the British Columbia Arts Council’s Project Assistance grant for visual artist and completed in the beginning of 2020.
The animated clips range from 1:17 to 1:43 minutes in length and is a continuous loop. They are hand-drawn with ink and calligraphy pens, then digitally composed. As the non-narrative story transitions between the scenes, the characters overlap, creating a third visual dialogue between the woman and the girl. Emotions are expressed through opera masks and the meanings each colour symbolize. The ears of each mask serve as handles for lifting and viewing the animations. The sound component is a 14-minute ambient loop that reflects the emotions and actions within the animations but is not tied to any specific clip. It will play independently, aiming to trigger memory connections between what is heard and what is seen.
The Pearl Necklace is inspired by my maternal grandmother, who was a Chinese opera singer before the Cultural Revolution. After I immigrated to Canada, the only object I had to remember her by was the pearl necklace she gave me when I was a little girl.
Sound Design: Westerly Henry
This project was created through the British Columbia Arts Council’s Project Assistance grant for visual artist and completed in the beginning of 2020.
Project trailer
Opera masks
12" by 12" by 1", casted resin
12" by 12" by 1", casted resin
Animation stills
In corresponding mask order
In corresponding mask order