Years ago, I began to reflect on how contemporary art and tradition might intertwine — how the two could merge to create works that feel truly alive.

My artistic language has long been influenced by folk traditions. By blending the past and the present, I’ve developed a personal visual vocabulary. I had always hoped to bring traditional craftsmanship into my work, and last year, I finally found the right moment to begin this experimental practice.

This piece draws from my own memories and emotions. For me, Chaozhou embroidery represents the essence of local folk art — expressive, abstract, and rich in technique. My creation also absorbs and reinterprets diverse styles, which is why I chose embroidery as the main medium.

Through this work, I wanted to tell a story about Chaozhou. In the vibrant Yingge Dance, the lead figure “Shi Qian” symbolizes the Chaozhou people’s spirit of exploration. I deconstructed the character “迁” (Qian, meaning migration or movement*), weaving it with serpent and floral imagery to express transformation, renewal, and the timeless drive to explore.

— ZELAM LIM

Rooted in centuries of migration, Chaozhou culture blends tradition with external influences to form a unique and evolving identity. Within this heritage, exploration emerges as a defining spirit, visible in the Yingge Dance and the refined art of Chaozhou embroidery.

Urban artist ZELAM LIM and embroidery inheritor Lin Chunshuang formed LIM²LAB, presenting Migration (迁 CIÊNG) — a project that reimagines Chaozhou embroidery in a contemporary context. Based on Lim’s painting and enriched with traditional stitching and spray-paint techniques, the work bridges material and conceptual boundaries between tradition and modernity.

In 迁 CIÊNG, the serpent — drawn from the character “迁” — becomes a symbol of life’s transformation and continuity. The fusion of thread and paint creates a dialogue across time and culture — both a tribute to Chaozhou’s heritage and a renewal of its creative spirit.

多年前，我便开始思考，当代与传统如何更好地往来融合，以创造出有活力的作品。

我的艺术⻛格深受⺠间传统艺术的濡染和启发，通过将过去和现在融合，构建了独特的艺 术语言。因此，我一直希望在创作中引入传统技艺。直到去年，终于迎来合适的契机，让 我开启这一实验性创作实践。

这次创作的作品，源自我的个人情感和记忆。潮绣，在我的记忆中，是潮州⺠间艺术的代表：起源于⺠间，以夸张抽象的形式独美，兼容多种绣法，自成一派。我的创作也吸收了不同⻛格和技法，用个人方式重绎，这也是我选择潮绣作为媒介的原因之一。

通过这件作品，我希望讲述一个关于潮州的故事。在潮州的闹热游神中，英歌舞的领舞者“时迁”在我看来象征着潮州族群的一种集体精神——“探索”。因此，我提取“迁”字，将其解构，与蛇、花草交织相融，在变化中彼此转化，寓意时间和生命的循环，也象征无畏探索的精神。

——都市艺术家林子楠

潮州文化历经南迁，扎根岭南，走向更广阔的世界。它在承载传统的同时不断吸纳外来精华，化为独特的文化表达，绵延不息。在这片文化土壤中，“探索”成为潮州人的精神内核，体现在英歌舞、潮绣等民间艺术中。英歌舞中的“时迁”肩负探路与引领之责，象征不断前行的勇气；而潮绣，则以精妙的针法与细腻的工艺，展现出地方文化的柔韧坚韧。

都市艺术家林子楠与潮绣传承人林淳爽共同组成LIM²LAB，推出作品《迁 CIÊNG》，开启潮绣的当代探索实验。作品以林子楠的绘画为基础，由林淳爽以潮绣针法诠释层次与质感，并融入林子楠的喷漆技法，使传统工艺与现代艺术在材质与观念上深度融合。

在《迁 CIÊNG》中，蛇既是画面主体，也是“迁”字偏旁的延伸意象，象征生命的生长、蜕变与探索。作品以针线与笔墨的共融，呈现出一场跨越时间、文化与艺术边界的对话——既是对潮州非遗技艺的致敬，也是一种当代语境下的文化续写。