Pei-Hsuan Wang
Cabinet

Pei-Hsuan Wang’s contribution to RHIZOMA comprises two parts: Sister Folding Laundry, a sculptural outdoor intervention, and Cabinet, this work on paper.

For Cabinet, Wang invited her family to photograph the interiors of their kitchen cabinets and pantries – intimate spaces of daily life. She ultimately chose an image taken by her brother-in-law, capturing a quiet yet deeply personal view of homemaking. This photograph was then transformed, in the studios of MASEREEL, through a meticulous etching process, combining soft and hard ground techniques with aquatint and chine-collé.

Cabinet presents a seemingly simple yet evocative arrangement: a collection of mismatched tableware – plates, bowls, dishes – stacked within a cupboard. Some pieces were handcrafted by her brother-in-law, others gifted, purchased or inherited from different family members. These objects, worn and chipped from years of use, carry layered histories, embodying the shared contributions and evolving memories of a household. The stillness of the composition, with its waiting objects, resonates with quiet significance.

Wang was drawn to the metaphorical weight of the word cabinet – not only as a container for domestic objects, but also as a gathering place, much like a government cabinet, where individuals come together, merging differences to create something collective. This notion of unity and accumulation became integral to the work.

The vibrant colour palette of this work on paper is drawn from the bold tones of temple and wall paintings in southern Taiwan. Magenta, cyan, yellow and black – the foundational hues of printmaking, too – serve as both a tribute to a rich graphic tradition and a celebration of everyday beauty, bridging cultural heritage with the poetry of the ordinary.

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