The flower, Azalea, is used as a strong symbol of womanhood in Asia especially in the past. It carries the meaning of fragile passion. The famous Korean poem “Azaleas” written by poet Kim So-wol, used the azalea flower to represent the deep passion and yet the frailty of the traditional female species in love. It portrays the strength, bond and emotion of a woman in love.

For the modern women, how much do they resemble their predecessors and how much have they changed? If frailty is defined by a woman’s innate vulnerability, then it may not be far-fetched to say that a woman’s emotive instinct, that which is both passionate and strong, yet vulnerable with desire, transcends generations. This affect remains constant through the generations even if their behavior, outlook, appearance and objects of their lust may have shifted.

rainbowartsproject (RAP) is a project which focuses on LGBT-related issues and themes through the arts. The azalea flower aptly portrays the female story of this group especially in Asia. We ask, with the rapid modernization and urbanization happening in Asia within the last decade, where are the women in Asia standing at this juncture with their feministic instinct?

This exhibition brings together seven young artists, regardless of their sexuality, to explore the azalea metaphor in visual representation. Those who, somehow, able to grasp and convey that elusive feministic element through their theme or approach. They are:

Peenut Lee Pee Kew
Desiree Lau
Malisa Suchanya
Grace Foo
Marla Bendini
Rachel Chan
Nurrul Shaik

How much has urbanization and modernization affect feminism today and/or how much of the contemporary presentation of the feministic passion reflects the era of this age? The RAP project hopes to bring a layer of understanding of the female LGBT community through this exhibition, where the issue of women’s strength is highlighted in an approach that is different from the usual femme fatale-inspired exhibitions.