Once Familiar

In the quest to find myself, I looked back at the myriad things imprinted on my psyche and body. I have realised that I, as an individual, am shaped by the place I grew up and the objects I interacted with in daily life — objects woven into the fabric of my existence that contributed to the person I have become. But when I look back at them, I ask myself: do I truly know these objects, or are they merely lodged in memory, devoid of real understanding? In this series, I attempt to know these objects by minutely examining every deformation and eroded surface, trying to uncover the memories embedded within them. These humble objects were once part of my daily life in my early years, and over time, as they were used, their forms changed — bearing the marks of human touch and interaction. This transformation becomes a form of organic storytelling, where each scratch, dent, and patina tells the story of the object's journey, hinting at the hands that have held it and the lives it has touched. I think I know these objects — they are so familiar to me — but do I really? Have I ever truly known them? This doubt begins to take root, sparking a cascade of questions that lead to a fundamental inquiry: what does it mean to know something? Through this questioning, I am tracing my own identity.