Éphémère was exhibited at the Cité Internationale des Arts while undertaking the National Art School Paris Residency. This residency was supported by an ArtStart Grant from the Australia Council for the Arts and an Ian Potter Cultural Trust grant. ​During her residency, Yang-En Hume became fascinated by the Flea Markets of Paris which house remarkable quantities of detritus and she was drawn to the anonymous yet intimate nature of many of the items. Hume found the lace and fabric she sourced at the markets particularly interesting as they alluded to female labour, work that has historically been relegated to ‘craft’ status. This interest led to her visit The Library of Decorative Arts in Paris and the Calais Lace Museum. In both these venues she was struck by the meticulous and detailed nature of handmade lace, time-consuming pieces created by female artisans who were often not credited for their work.

​Éphémère was held at the Cité at the conclusion of Hume’s residency and featured collages and embroideries made from photographs, letters and fabric collected from the flea markets. These pieces also incorporated lace patterns from the Library of Decorative Arts. The resulting works are simultaneously intimate and anonymous, a pastiche of intertwined lives and stories. ​

Ian Potter Cultural Trust

Photography by Yang-En Hume.