Collectible: Kexin Hao

The series almost come to an end. Today we announce the final Collectible. #20 by Kexin Hao, in reaction to ‘Love Dome’ by Pien Kars. The last 10 works will come your way very soon. A new batch + a new cocktail club. For now enjoy them digitally in the online collection in your mail!

“My work is photography of found objects from an Asian importshop in Amsterdam.

Pien’s work has a centre point boosting feminine warmth. The visual reminds me of the objects I found in an Asian gift shop in Amsterdam. One is a hanging accessory named “a red and red fire fire to recruit the wealth bucket. Another one is a diary book labelled as “NANA beautiful gril”. Both have a carved heart shape in the centre, a quirky, nostalgic aesthetic, and an erroneous translation from Chinese to English. I think these objects have their attraction in their own ways.

Gift shop’s smallwares are artefacts of satisfaction, things-you-may-or-may-not-need, and a terrestrial souvenir of us living the TODAY.⁣ Smallwares are mass produced and displayed. Once they get overstocked and disposed, they lose their value as a commodity.⁣

With or without being commodities, to me, they are always treasurable in a way that they carry the history. They archive informations and memories of certain times. I like to consume objects with looking at their archival value.⁣

Located in Amsterdam, WAH-KIU 華僑貿易公司 is a small gift shop specialised in import goods for Chinese immigrants. After 39 years of running, the shop was closed in November 2020. Commodities were hoarded in the shop throughout these years and some never were sold out. When I visited the store, I would always be overwhelmed by all kinds of dusty/flashy things ranged from stationary, kitchenware, e-dictionary to porno magazines. They are made in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong from 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Looking at these time capsules, I travel to times I have never been.”