Pleasures and Treasures
Screen-printing on handmade watermarked cotton paper, handmade box with holograph foil bookcloth and pulp painted Edgeworthia chrysantha, edition of 8 different watermarked papers per box, ~8 x 10”, 2022
Video documentation: Raoul Olou
Holograph book cloth assistant: Smokestack Studio, Laine Groeneweg
Box making consultant: James Spyker
Artwork produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.
Video description: Flora is demonstrating the interactive Pleasures and Treasures box—blue with holographic tiled print “Proudly Designed In ____”, the cover comes off first, a ribbon pulls out the edition, each paper is then put back in, ribbon is placed back in and the cover put back, and Flora rotates the box around to show the holographic effect.
Artist Statement
“Pleasures and Treasures”, is a boxed edition of eight different handmade papers with “Made in China” embedded as a watermark. “Made in China” is a label and phrase frequently used in the West synonymous with inferior quality. This project communicates the long, complex history of manufacturing in China. I chose eight items from Chinatown’s tourist shops of “Canadiana” souvenirs branded as “Proudly Designed in Canada” (boldly displayed) and “Made in China” (discreetly hidden). These seemingly playful and harmless objects actually carry a heavy weight that questions origins, authenticity, visibility, and nationalism. It is important that the material choices and processes communicate and embody this paradox.
“Pleasures and Treasures” requires light, movement, and interaction to be viewed fully which also plays with the idea of a common expression—“bring to light”—”If someone brings something to light, they discover it or make it known publicly”, “light” is used in the sense of “public knowledge”. This edition seeks to merge these critical historical timelines with contemporary artistic practice, to expand the dialogue on manufacturing and multiples, embodied objects, and racial narratives.
