Created in March 2025, this sun-coloured chrysanthemum already announces the arrival of spring. I came across it one morning at the vibrant flower market on Gresson Street in Wan Chai, and it inspired this composition—a tribute to the connection between the earth and the hand of the maker: the ceramic artist, the grower, the gardener… This piece also speaks to the meeting of two cultures. As someone of French background, I had always associated the chrysanthemum with mourning and All Saints’ Day. Yet in Southeast Asia, it symbolises longevity, happiness, perfection, and good fortune, and is sometimes linked to the sun. Was it the sun of Provence winking at me that day? Whatever the case, I bought this flower at the market and placed it in a ceramic cup freshly made by Hong Kong artist Ben Yau (Tao Tao Ceramic), whom I had met just a few weeks earlier. Together, they inspired me to create an image where merge poetry, nostalgia, and the strength of life quietly.