XVIII: Dance between roots and sky
Part 18 of an international solo on ”Lanna“ by Lim Siang Jin. This online exhibition, comprising 20 parts, is from May 6 to June 5, 2025
STANDING in Lanna, I witnessed a slow dance of epochs. Like partners waiting for the music to quicken its tempo, the old and the young moved in measured steps across the misty landscape. There’s a distinct sense of anticipation here, where change will soon accelerate, where new partners will join while existing relationships transform. Lanna isn’t frantically chasing the future or stubbornly clinging to tradition—it’s finding its own rhythm. Its strength emerges from this delicate choreography where tradition and innovation move in tandem. Lanna’s future isn’t about standing still but about the graceful pivot, like dancers who remember their first positions even as they explore new movements.
The Easter Lily’s whispered prophecy
WATCHING the Easter Lily Vine bloom, I saw Lanna’s story in its petals. Open flowers, bathed in sunlight, mirror ancient structures standing through centuries. Swelling buds hold change—promises of new connections and networks. The smallest buds, still closed, carry untold possibilities—dreams yet to unfold. Flowers teach us that growth requires release. Some traditions will fade like fallen petals, while others evolve into new forms. True beauty lies not in remaining static, but in transformation that honours both deep roots and the reaching sky.
Between screens and stories
I WATCHED a village boy sit on a bamboo floor, his face lit up as the scenes unfolded on his phone screen. His Snoopy jacket—a flash of humour wrapped in borrowed imagery—stood out against the clutter of daily village life. In his hands, the phone was more than a toy; it was a portal to possibility, a tool for transformation. The glow illuminated not just his face but the potential within him—to learn, connect, and create in ways his ancestors never imagined. He is one of Lanna’s many futures, a bridge between worlds, embodying both the wisdom of his heritage and the promise of what’s to come.
Stepping into tomorrow
THE FUTURE isn’t a wall to climb—it’s a door waiting to be opened, a bridge swaying gently in the wind. Some doors open to bridges that lead to bright futures; others reveal precipices or dead ends. But even uncertainty holds more promise than a door never touched, a bridge never crossed. For those at the cusp of change, the greatest risk lies not in the crossing but in refusing to step forward at all. A bamboo bridge bends but doesn’t break; a door left ajar allows old light to mingle with new. I get the feeling Lanna folk are feeling it’s time to take chances.
For more information, click on links: Stephen Menon, O Art Space Gallery, Lim Siang Jin and his art, here and here. For a detailed acknowledgment, click here