Aden O’Shea
Duel Souvenir

My Body of Work explores my dual Thai and Australian heritage through a sculptural diorama centred on a boxing ring. Populated by handmade clay figures, animals and props, the scene becomes an arena where symbols from both cultures collide, compete and coexist. I draw upon kitsch objects, stereotypes and imagery, using humour and irony to question ideas of national identity. The boxing ring suggests conflict and opposition, yet the playful interactions between characters transform competition into celebration, exchange and absurdity. By modelling each figure and prop, I create an imaginary world that invites observation and discovery. Expressions, combinations and vibrant forms challenge expectations of how heritage should be represented. Rather than presenting my identities as separate or fixed, I show them as active, contradictory and evolving. Through spectacle and play, my work embraces the complexity of belonging between two cultures and celebrates the strange possibilities created when they meet.

Next
Next

Alexander Gastineau-Hills - Forest to Form