Eroplanong Papel at Bangkang Papel, 2023

Text by Pari.

Activating memories through movement, Khim Mata Hipol folds migrant rituals into Eroplanong Papel at Bangkang Papel (Paper Airplane and Paper Boat), evoking the childhood innocence of paper airplanes and boats. Each photogram is carefully folded and exposed to light for five seconds – a symbolic gesture reflecting the five-year journey toward obtaining Canadian citizenship. The resulting gradients of glow and shadow evoke abstract, shifting landscapes that develop into emotional terrains of migration and belonging. 

The symmetrical patterns echo qualities of a yantra, a geometric art form rooted in South Asian traditions and often used as a meditative aid to focus the mind. Predominantly composed of interlocking triangles radiating from a central point, a yantra inspires introspection through its visual structure. Similarly, this body of work creates a contemplative space where striking minimalism reflects the raw vulnerabilities of new beginnings. The immigrant metaphor is stripped bare and exposed to light, with bodies emerging from creases, continuously shaping and reshaping, navigating identities in flux. Each bend speaks to a movement, tracing migratory routes that embody cycles of grieving and rebuilding, remembering and reinventing, departing and arriving. Hipol’s work evokes this intimate journey and transforms it into a universal reflection on Asian diasporic resilience, inviting viewers to see migration not merely as a physical act but as a profound process in the redefinition and reclamation of selfhood. 

Presented by the City of Richmond Public Art Program and Richmond Art Gallery in partnership with Capture.