Swallows from Aster

Swallows from Aster represent the moment when the image of the swallow became intertwined with my own name and identity. The swallow forms I depict resemble stars, because I have embedded the shape of my name, Aster, within them. The word Aster originates from the Greek astḗr, meaning “star,” and in English it retains the connotation of “star-shaped.” It is also the botanical name of the aster flower, whose blossoms radiate like stars. Interestingly, my Mandarin name, Shih-en, when pronounced in Japanese, sounds identical to shion, which refers to the same flower, Aster. While preparing to study in Germany, I discovered that Aster is also used as a German name, which led me to adopt it as my own. Thus, the image of the swallow becomes a site where language, culture, and species intersect and drift.  This star-shaped swallow emerged as a recurring symbol in my practice.

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In the first piece of this series, I used my thumb to press a red fingerprint on the throat of each swallow to imitate the bird’s distinctive red feather. This stamping references the traditional practice of sealing and signature in Chinese ink painting, where the red seal signifies identity and authorship. For me, this project is a form of self-portraiture, a behaviour of repeatedly writing my name.