Danica, Estella, Apus

by My Linh Mac

“In a modern world flooded with information and rapid change, the simple shapes that once quietly structured our reality—like the circle—risk being forgotten. Across cultures, the circle symbolized wholeness, eternity, and the cyclical nature of life, marking seasons, organizing communities, and grounding spiritual traditions. Yet as progress accelerates, these symbols quietly vanish. "Constellation Series" seeks to recover and reimagine the circle, not just as geometry, but as a vessel for memory and identity. Each piece meditates on what fades when we stop seeing: a sense of wholeness, continuity, and sacredness circles once invoked. My materials and methods are intentionally pared down: I work almost exclusively with black and white, and build each composition from only the most basic elements—dots and lines. By stripping my visual language to these raw components, I am searching for something universal, beyond style or trend. The simplicity is deceptive; within this vocabulary, I find complex relationships, tensions, and resonances that echo both the clarity and the ambiguities of being human. I use layers of laser-cut wood and careful techniques to create work that evokes both presence and absence, echoing lost meanings while acknowledging the world’s fixation on what’s new. Making each piece is both a ritual and an excavation, recalling what circles meant and what they could still mean for us today. This search is personal. Growing up in Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, and the US—shaped by Buddhist roots and Christian schools—I’ve lived between many worlds. Art-making is how I reconnect with what’s essential and remember the spiritual threads beneath all the noise. This series is a reminder of where I began, and a reflection on the ongoing journey to find belonging. The circles remind me: what’s lost can be found again.”