Unwritten Letters
2024
Salvaged paper, glass, mirrored stainless steel
8’h x 7” x 4”
等你回來
Originally part of the 等你回來 exhibition, this relief is composed of salvaged paper from Lin’s family paper factory in Taiwan. Part of a larger series, the work is an effort to preserve a culture facing erasure—both intimately and broadly. Lin’s grandfather’s factory, once a bustling operation with over 200 employees, now stands at a crossroads. With most operations shut down and only a few family members maintaining it, the factory faces an uncertain future amid shifting environmental policies and increasing automation.
With the help of his cousins, Lin collected over 8000 kilograms of paper that would have otherwise ended up in landfill. Altered through various forms of manipulation, presentation, and preservation, the work seeks to unravel the layered narratives embedded within these factory seconds and safeguard a history and craft on the brink of obsolescence.