Find My Marbles

This piece is a spin on the idiom “lose your marbles”.

I have “lost my marbles” many times in life. Growing up with a difficult childhood (1997 economic crisis, selling food in the street markets of Malaysia, family turmoil, etc.), I felt so displaced as I maneuver through the world, trying to find a space I could call home — to belong and feel safe.

As I began my journey into the realm of Contemplation, I started to find my sense of self and truth — where I fit in, who I am, etc. Slowly but surely, I was finding my marbles.

Instead of going for the traditional design for the marbles, I wanted my “marbles” to be mandalas. This meditative practice grounded and guided my mind’s wandering towards my sense of self amidst the chaos.

The layers of lines and dots, as seen throughout the series, marks the start of a language — to convey all that has been collected over the years through my contemplation.

Through art and the contemplation I am able to do with it, I have found my way back to my truth. This is how I keep sane in a world that thrives on chaos.