In November 2025, the Octone Foundation will support Hong Kong veteran artist Jaffa Lam in participating in the 15th Shanghai Biennale, titled "Does the Flower Hear the Bee?". This edition of the Biennale is curated by the chief curator Kitty Scott, along with co-curators Daisy Desrosiers and Tan Xue, focusing on the interplay between human and non-human intelligence, exploring how contemporary art can serve as a bridge connecting diverse life forms and knowledge systems.
Jaffa Lam has specially created a new ceramic installation work, "Windbreak" (2025), for this biennale. Made from a blend of Longquan clay body and celadon glaze, the pieces range in size from 10 centimeters to 4 meters, forming a sculptural ensemble that is both intimate and monumental. This series support by the Octone Foundation and originates from the artist's year-long ceramics residency program in Longquan, China, in 2024. This immersive journey into the heart of traditional craftsmanship not only allowed Lin Lan to systematically learn techniques such as wheel-throwing, clay blending, and glazing for the first time but also inspired her to re-examine the relationship between materials, memory, and social structures from a fresh perspective.
"Windbreak" draws inspiration from the staircase handrails commonly found in old Shanghai houses. For Lin Lan, these seemingly ordinary architectural details serve as "windbreak" that resist external forces, while also symbolizing the boundary between interior and exterior, connecting different social strata and eras. She regards each ceramic sculpture as an independent entity—some standing upright like sentinels, others slightly leaning as if resisting invisible pressure. Through the subtle differences within repetition, she conveys the poetic interplay of everyday citizens' stories and grand historical narratives.
"We support Lin Lan not only because of her continuous engagement in community art and empowerment of marginalized groups over the past thirty years, but also because she has always approached traditional craftsmanship and urban transformation with a humble heart," stated Mr. Ho Fan, Chairman of the Octone Foundation. “'Windbreak' is not merely a ceramic artwork; it is a form of contemplation—contemplation of forgotten spaces, overlooked communities, and silent objects that carry memories. This resonates with the core spirit of this year's Biennale—establishing deeper connections between humans and non-humans, the visible and the invisible.”
Jaffa Lam has long been dedicated to endangered crafts and urban ecology. Since 2009, she has been promoting the social participation project "Micro Economy" in collaboration with the Hong Kong Women Workers' Association, providing a skill transformation platform for unemployed garment workers. Her works have been collected by prominent institutions such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art, M+ Museum, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the He Art Museum in China.
It is worth mentioning that the use of Longquan clay and celadon glaze in "Windbreak" is rooted in the Longquan celadon firing technique, which was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. During her residency, Lin Lan respected local traditions while breaking the boundaries of craftsmanship—recycling and repeatedly mixing clay materials, freely splashing glazes, allowing each piece to carry the experience of kiln firing and her personal trajectory, resulting in a "similar yet unique" collective portrait. She candidly admits that this creation is also a cross-generational tribute to Italian painter Giorgio Morandi: “Finding differences in repetition, seeing eternity in the ordinary.”
Since its establishment, the Octone Foundation has consistently supported art practices with social care and cultural depth, believing that art not only reflects the times but also heals wounds and inspires resonance. This time, the foundation supports Jaffa Lam’s participation in the Shanghai Biennale, marking another significant initiative in promoting dialogue on contemporary Asian art and facilitating the transformation of traditional craftsmanship into modern expressions.
15th Shanghai Biennale: "Does the Flower Hear the Bee?"
Exhibition Period: November 2025 – March 2026
Venue: Power Station of Art, Shanghai
Participating Artist: Jaffa Lam
Artwork: *Windbreak* (2025)
Sponsor: Octone Foundation
Gallery Representation: Axel Vervoordt Gallery