13. mai - 30. juni 2023

“Once upon a time..."

I remember those nights when you talked me to sleep. These words were the most powerful incantations. They banish reality and open the door to wildest dreams. As the powerful wind blows, we travel to the east of the sun west of the moon. March into Troll’s castle to rescue the prince that was cursed into a white bear. Running through the mountain in Taiwan with the white deer, leading the Thau tribe to the glamorous Sun Moon Lake. Diving in between the corals with a girl my age, looking for her ill grandmother's cure with the help of a manta ray. On the land of Eritrea, playing hide and seek with the rabbit and the fox till dawn arrives. Staying awake with the brave little owl in the Nigerian jungle, keeping his companions safe from poachers. In the foothills of Iran, riding a snow leopard towards the moon at full speed, seeking love at any cost. And of course, we never forget to seek out the tiny magical mosses that grant wishes to those with a kind heart. The river of time flows towards the ocean. I cannot recall when I last heard you say those words. Reality grew more stubborn and dreams became more silent. Here I am still looking for that tiny magical moss.

Piera Ying-Chu Shih is a Taiwanese artist based in Oslo. She is educated at Alchimia contemporary jewellery school in Florence and Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Human relations, connection, and personal trauma are her primary focus. She researches how craft could lead us to reconnect and rethink the structure of contemporary society. As a material-based artist, Piera uses materials as the carrier of emotions, stories and care. Creating a sense of belonging and a place of encounter for individuals.