Scent from Heaven (2023)

Scent from Heaven investigates the paradoxical relationship between suffering and enlightenment through the story of the agarwood tree, a fragrant and highly valued wood native to Southeast Asia. Agarwood is revered for its heavenly scent and deep symbolic ties to healing and redemption. Yet this scent only emerges when the tree is wounded-typically through infection or physical damage, often caused by human intervention. In responding to harm, the tree produces a dark, aromatic resin as a kind of immune response-transforming trauma into something treasured. As such, the work invites reflection on how beauty and value are often revealed in the light of destruction and pain, while also exposing the tension between the suffering of nature and humanity's longing for healing and salvation.