Fortune | Bev Moon

A family feast lovingly made from knitted wool is on display in the exhibition Fortune by Bev Moon.

During Auckland’s lockdown in late 2021 Moon began knitting a yum cha banquet to mark what would have been her late mother Yip Sue Yen’s 90th birthday in March 2022 and to honour her grandmother Lee Choy Kee, whose skills of knitting and cooking were passed down the generations.

“While others perfected sourdough, binged on TV series, or went for walks in lockdown, I experimented and did my best to source just the right yarn shades, weights and textures online to create patterns for various wrappers and shapes. I folded and stuffed them the way Mum taught me when I helped make yum cha with her, all those years ago,” said artist Bev Moon.

“Slowly the number of dishes grew into a feast, and I realised it was an homage of sorts not only to my mother, but my grandmother as well.”

Born and raised in Wellington but now based in Auckland, Moon is descended from Taishanese men who first arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand in the 1880s in search of gold and new opportunities. Due to New Zealand’s discriminatory ‘poll tax’ immigration policy at the time, their wives had to remain in China. Moon’s mother and grandmother were two of only 500 Chinese women and children eventually granted temporary refuge by the New Zealand government to escape the Japanese invasion in World War II.

Moon’s professional life has been spent immersed in other people’s histories and stories. As a Collections Manager and Touring Exhibitions Manager, she’s worked with the nation’s taonga and art at Auckland Museum Taamaki Paenga Hira, Te Papa Tongarewa, The Dowse Art Museum, City Gallery Wellington and Adam Art Gallery.

Fortune is on display at Hocken Collections from 12 August to 21 October 2023 and entry is free.

Moon's work is exhibited alongside archival material from the Hocken Collections and New Zealand Chinese Heritage Research Charitable Trust.