I’m so excited to be a part of Maison Pan’s group show ‘Echoes of Identity’.

As the National Gallery celebrates 200 years, this open call invites artists to reflect on the essence of identity in its many forms. Whether through portraiture, abstract expressions, or conceptual explorations, artists are encouraged to interpret the enduring question: What makes us who we are?

From vivid depictions of individuals to the intangible forces that shape collective memory, this theme celebrates the diversity of approaches to representing identity, offering a space for both the personal and universal.

I am showing my framed painting on canvas, ‘As Water in a Jar.’ The vessel (here the 'jar') is often seen as a symbol of containment and holding. Water is often represented as life, sustenance, power, and what makes up our earthly bodies. We are each these things but unique, holding on to our fleeting, beautiful selves. Nothing is permanent or perfect as we learn from the Japanese concept of Wabi-sabi.

We fade, and evaporate into nothing but the essence of our lives can hopefully leave some traces of who we were through faded memories and ideas we leave behind.

The exhibition is curated by @artiqgram and runs until 6 January. Viewing by appointment only.