A person holding three American flags in front of a white background.
A red decorative panel with circular cut-outs casting shadow, a white ceramic vase on the left, and a white dish with herbs on the right. The scene is lit with warm light.
Title page of a book titled 'Short Stories Vol. 1' with the subtitle 'Penang: In Between Light' in white text on a black background.

The air hums,

neither still

nor hurried,

as the island

turns its face toward the eastern light,

the morning

settles on painted walls.

A potted, green, leafy tree in front of a yellow house with white trim and window shutters.
A tall green banana plant with large leaves growing on a white building's balcony. A bird is flying in the sky above, and there are air conditioning units attached to the exterior wall of the building.
A cactus plant in front of a yellow wall and an old, metallic blue door, with a yellow pipe running vertically along the wall.
A white wall with a double door and two windows, some of the window openings have bars, and there are wires hanging from the top. In the foreground, there are large green leaves from a plant.
A small red shrine with a sloped roof, situated against a white wall with some weathering and black stains. The shrine has a lantern hanging inside and a black sign with white characters in front of it.
View of a white modern house with arched windows, a wooden shutter, and a patio area surrounded by lush green plants and trees, with a pathway leading into the outdoor space.
A kitchen corner with a tiled counter, various containers on a shelf, and miscellaneous items including bottles, a plastic basket, and paper bags.
A window with a beige frame and a metal security grill. Two towels, one pink and one gray, are hanging over a horizontal metal rod in front of the window.
Black and white photo of tall, pointed plant leaves in the foreground, with a tall palm tree and a clear sky in the background.
A white building with a sloped roof and weathered walls, with neighboring buildings with red tile roofs, all under a clear blue sky.
A traditional multi-tiered Asian pagoda situated on a hill overlooking a modern city skyline, with the city buildings fading into the haze in the background.
Photograph of a black and white printed image of a stone sculpture of a figure with a serene face, holding a spherical object, placed on a black folder with a white label reading 'artefact Paris Gaba Oolong ANXI, FUJIAN, CHINE' against a red background.
Photograph of a black and white printed image of a stone sculpture of a figure with a serene face, holding a spherical object, placed on a black folder with a white label reading 'artefact Paris Gaba Oolong ANXI, FUJIAN, CHINE' against a red background.
Close-up of a black Kenweth FOO box with a white card inside, detailing a photograph of the Guan Yin bronze statue and Gaba Oolong Tea.
Close-up of a black Kenweth FOO box with a white card inside, detailing a photograph of the Guan Yin bronze statue and Gaba Oolong Tea.

Tea & Photo Pairing

Tea has long been part of my daily life. Over the years, it has become a way of paying attention: to slow down, to observe, and to find meaning in small gestures. It was through this shared appreciation for craft and contemplation that this collaboration with artéfact came naturally.

For Short Stories Vol. 1 – Penang : in between light, I wanted to extend the exhibition beyond the photograph itself. Each Polaroid reproduction is paired with a tea selected together with artéfact, creating a quiet dialogue between image and flavour. The pairings were not conceived as illustrations, but as echoes. A morning street, a temple filled with incense, a familiar kitchen, or a glimpse of foliage softened by light each found resonance in the character of a particular tea.

Both photography and tea ask for a similar kind of attention. They invite us to pause, to notice subtle details, and to experience time differently. Through these pairings, I hoped to create a more intimate encounter with the work, where memory might be approached not only through sight, but also through scent, taste, and atmosphere.

Together, the photographs and teas form a small collection of impressions from Penang — fragments of light, place, and remembrance gathered over time and shared through two practices that continue to shape the way I look at the world.

A person in a black cap and glasses is sitting at a table, looking at a smartphone. The table is set up with decorative objects including a white vase, a framed picture, a bowl of grains, and a bowl with a spoon. The backdrop is a red display with text that reads 'artefact' and 'Tea & Project Space'.
A wall with a plaque indicating recognition from the Collège Culinaires de France, with years 2019 to 2025, and two black bags of tea labeled 'artéfact' with information about Deep Waters tea.

artéfact paris

Founded in 2014 by Kaleigh Johnson and Fadel Imendjerioune, artéfact is a tea and project space located in the heart of the Marais district in Paris.

artéfact is an independent tea atelier dedicated to the sourcing and presentation of fine teas. Over the years, it has become one of the places I return to most often, drawn by the care with which each tea is selected and shared.

The teas presented there are the result of extensive research and close relationships with producers, reflecting not only craftsmanship and origin, but also the stories and landscapes behind each harvest. Recognised by the Collège Culinaire de France as a Producteur–Artisan de Qualité, artéfact has established a distinctive approach to tea that values attention, authenticity, and a deep respect for the people who make it possible.

Five Polaroid-style photographs with white labels, laid out on a red background. Each photo displays different scenes, including a building with a dome, a ceiling with hanging lights, indoor plants, a pool area, and a statue.
A partial view of a framed picture or poster on a white background, showing a woman with long hair, holding her hand to her face, with some architectural elements visible in the background.
Photograph of a polaroid photo of a rooftop scene with outdoor furniture, plants, and a pink wall, taken from below.
A large carnival or amusement park ride with multiple red-lit cabins hanging from a top structure, captured at night or dusk.
A framed photograph of a weathered blue wall with a small canopy above a door, mounted on a gray gallery wall. A ceramic bowl with a white fabric flower arrangement sits on a wooden shelf below the photograph.
A vivid rainbow arcs across a cloudy sky over a green landscape with trees and a person sitting on the grass.

A personal exhibition presented at artéfact, Paris, from November 2025 to April 2026. Bringing together photographs made across several years, the project reflected on the quiet ways memory inhabits place. Through walls touched by morning light, familiar streets, domestic interiors, and fleeting encounters, the works traced a personal geography shaped as much by absence as by presence. Accompanied by curated tea pairings, the exhibition proposed a contemplative space where image, flavor, and remembrance converged, offering a meditation on home, distance, and the enduring imprint of light.

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