Celebration for the Departed: research
Vicki is currently researching and exploring Chinese death rituals to produce outcomes that open the discussion of death, love and consumption in western society. She will be working with individuals to celebrate their loved ones through rituals and the act of making.
The following images are taken from her own research into Chinese death rituals which are currently practiced in the far east and by her own family. This is current work in progress, more images to come soon.
On 2nd April 2017, Vicki visited her ancestors' tombs in Tseung Kwan O (Clear Water Bay), Hong Kong for the annual Qing Ming festival, also known as Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day and is performed to remember and honour their ancestors. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, burn joss paper offerings to the ancestors. The festival is part of Chinese culture and therefore people from different religions - Buddhist, Taoist, Christian etc. - may practice different ways of celebrating and honouring their departed relatives, but the main focus is still the tradition of Qing Ming. [Tan, W]
