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. You can feel something building here. Change is coming fast. New people will arrive, and old relationships will shift. But Lanna isn’t rushing toward the future or fighting to stay in the present. It’s moving forward at its own pace; hopefully, it will not be forced in the future to quicken uncontrollably. Its strength lies in blending the old and the new like dancers who know their basic steps but aren’t afraid to try something different.
The Easter Lily’s whispered prophecy
WATCHING the Easter Lily Vine bloom, I saw Lanna’s story in its petals. The open flowers, bathed in sunlight, are like ancient structures that have withstood the test of time. The swelling buds hold promises of planned change, new connections, and development that people have started to put in place. The smallest ones, still closed, carry possibilities—dreams that have yet to unfold. Flowers teach us that growth requires release. Some traditions will fade like fallen petals, while others evolve into new forms—as seeds do. 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—with humour he did not understand—stood out against the clutter of daily village life. The phone in his hand was more than a toy. It’s a portal to possibilities. The glow brightens his face. It also reveals his potential to learn, connect, and create in ways his ancestors never imagined. He’s one of Lanna’s many futures, a bridge between worlds. He represents 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 that leads to bright futures. Others reveal precipices or dead ends. But uncertainty holds more promise than a closed door or 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