A few years ago my trip to Taipei coincided with Ghost Festival, a month during the Lunar Calendar when ghosts come back to the mortal realm, filled with hunger, thirst, and unfulfilled desires. I saw long tables in front of Eslite and Mitsukoshi department stores laid out with food, toiletries, and even cigarettes, in anticipation of what a returning spirit might be longing for.

I found the ceremonious arrangement of each item thoughtfully opened, uncapped, and served—ready for little ghost fingers—charming in its oddness. A roast duck and bowls of ladled-out soup right at home alongside small boxes of perfumed soap and powder compacts.

Comforting and spooky. A mix of respect, heartache, and caution.

Pastel on panel, inset mirrors in maple frame. 24.75" × 9.5”

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