28/01/2026
Please join me for opening drinks this Saturday, the 31st January, from 2-5pm for my solo exhibition ‘SUNKEN WATER GARDENS สวนใต้น้ำ’.
Curatorial & Co. gallery
Shop G01/02, 80 William St
Woolloomooloo (cnr Riley St)
Sydney
I hope to see you there!
Lilli xx
In the photographic series ‘Sunken Water Gardens สวนใต้น้ำ’, I explore my Thai heritage and ancestral mythology, drawing from the Buddhist cosmology of Traiphum, the Three Worlds, encompassing the celestial (heavenly), the terrestrial (earthly), and the infernal (underworld). These ethereal underwater still-life landscapes intertwine plants, flowers, and fish to create tranquil, meditative scenes that reflect my preoccupation with the natural world while connecting to cultural memory. Offerings of flowers and water become gestures linking the living with the divine.
The compositions echo the ceremonial beauty of Phuang Malai, floral garlands traditionally crafted from jasmine, a symbolism connected to my mother’s names, Mali (meaning Jasmine) and Ladawan (meaning Moonflower). Emerald green and jewel-toned fabrics form the landscapes of these photographs, inspired by Thai silks and tapestries, while gold accents and gilded textures recall the shimmering gold leaf used in traditional Thai art. Black fish drift among orchids, recalling the mythical presence of the nāga, water deities and protectors of thresholds, inhabiting a space that is half-aquatic and half-celestial. A chambered nautilus suspended among the roots of drifting water plants resembles fine silk threads, referencing the Thai tradition of krathongs, small offerings released on water to honour ancestors and seek spiritual blessings.
My connection to this lineage exists through fragments, including vignettes, family stories, fabrics passed down, old photographs, and the memory of my grandmother wearing traditional Thai dress, all traces of another world that feels both close and unreachable. I have always felt a detachment from my Thai heritage, yet I see it reflected in the way my mother looks and in gestures that feel familiar. I am deeply curious about what has been carried across generations, the weight of trauma and nostalgia, the silences, the absences, and the things never spoken but deeply felt. Through my underwater still-life photography, I explore the intersection of these cultural identities, blending traditional Thai symbolism with contemporary artistic expression.
Raised off-grid in the Australian bush, I have a deep relationship with nature that has shaped both my worldview and artistic approach. Ecological concerns are integral to my practice, as the natural world’s constant flux parallels the evolving identities of those who navigate multiple cultures. The decay of flowers in my underwater work serves not only as a metaphor for cultural transformation but also as a reflection on environmental fragility.
In ‘Sunken Water Gardens สวนใต้น้ำ’ beauty and impermanence coexist between transient realms. In these underwater worlds, time slows, and stillness encourages dialogue with nature, history, and spirit.
