Flavours of Roots
根的滋味
$1,000.00
“The flavour of memory that lingers longer than taste.
味已散去，忆犹留香。”
oil on canvas
51x61cm
I woke up to the sound of laughter – my siblings already bustling in the tiny kitchen. It was nearly 11am. Sunday and no school! A familiar scent immediately bombarded my nostrils. And then I recognized it: fried fish! The scent reached me before the sun did - crispy, salty and sweetly spiced. It was the kind of smell that drew you out of bed with no complaint. There they were, already seated, chattering between bites, sunlight pouring in. In the middle of it all: a dish we had eaten a hundred times: fried fish, golden and glistening, wrapped in banana leaves. Simple, perfect. And there she was too – my mother. Moving between stove and table, effortless in her rhythm. She looked up, caught my eye, and smiled. That smile – it lingers longer than the taste. Some flavours fade quickly from the tongue, yet the memory stays – carrying with it our experiences of love, safety and belonging. They remind us of what grounds us, of the roots that never leave, even as the seasons change.
