Elmira Ng
Elmira Ng —'Stern-Halma', 2023
‘Stern-Halma’, more commonly known as Chinese Checkers, is a German board game invented in 1892. ‘Stern-Halma’ was derived from the American boardgame ‘Halma’ invented in 1884, which in turn took its inspiration from Hoppity, an English boardgame invented in 1854. It was renamed “Hop Ching Checkers” then ‘Chinese Checkers’ as an American marketing scheme by the Pressman Toy Company in 1928. This version features an octagon instead of a hexagon, referencing the Bagua Fengshui board –an actual Chinese version, of Chinese Checkers. In Chinese it is simply called “jump game”.
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Elmira Ng (1999)
Designed in Hong Kong
Made in Naarm
My life is embedded into my art, glaze layer under glaze layer, kiln firing after kiln firing, paint layers on thin paper. I resist writing bios from divulgence fatigue. I usually start with "Elmira Ng is a second-generation Hong Kong-Australian". But after graduating from a BFA (Honours) at the VCA (2018 - 2023) and surviving my degree as a part-time dole bludger (:L), I have been re-released into the "Nee houw marr?", “Where do you come from?” world, where no one know what this statement means. It means I don't speak Mandarin. Moreso, it means I have grown up watching how White systems and people treat those who are unable to access their tools of assimilation, and thus, have assimilated myself. In my art practice, I utilise humour, craftsmanship, repetition, consumerist symbology, and childhood imagery to forge bi-cultural art objects. I am interested in interrogating the convoluted racism surrounding CALD labour in so called Australia.
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3 Feb - 9 March 2024
Fresh! celebrates the next wave of Victorian graduates in contemporary craft and design.
Presented annually since 1993, Fresh! showcases the energy, skill and innovation of some of the best graduating students from craft, design and fine art disciplines. Fresh! provides an important opportunity for graduates beginning their career as makers. The exhibition fosters the potential of graduating students and provides an insight into new directions of contemporary craft.
Fresh! 2024 will mark the 31st iteration of this annual program and exhibition.
Material: hand-built stoneware, underglaze transfer, white glaze, velvet octagon constructed by Ruth McCallum-Howell, 48 piece set
Dimensions: 25cm diameter
Please note, all works will be available for collection at the end of the exhibition on March 12. For shipping enquiries, please contact shop@craft.org.au who will be available to provide an Art Courier quote.
