Queen Dogū Venus was created intuitively, and only after its completion did it evoke connections to ancient forms, the Neolithic Dogū clay figures of the Jomon period (small, humanoid and animal figurines made during the later part of the Jomon period (14,000-400 BC) of prehistoric Japan) and the Paleolithic Venus figurines (small female sculptures, approx. 40,000-10,000 BCE, featuring exaggerated breasts, bellies and hips, likely symbolizing fertility, beauty or survival). 

The resemblance inspired its title, Queen Dogū Venus. The piece’s upper form recalls a regal headdress, giving it a commanding, queen-like presence. The artist first encountered Dogū through the Doraemon film Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan. Through this spontaneous connection, the work came to embody themes of femininity, presence, and the timeless language of clay.

Ceramicist Shayne Phua interrogates histories and socio-cultural formations through the shapes of traditional vessels, often transforming functional objects into ornate, baroque curiosities, with the cumulative effect bordering on the uncanny. A commonly seen motif in the artist’s vessels are the designs and patterns of vintage pastry molds, especially those used for savoury Teochew treats, such as peng kway (“rice cake”). A collector of these molds, she remarks, “I’m captivated by their symbolic nature, representing the humblest of crafts. The collection of molds from unknown craftsmen in the past allows for the possibility to combine works from different parts of the world, at different points in time, in a single piece. Each piece of pastry-shaped clay is a sculptural form on its own, and has the potential of creating a new form when carefully arranged and combined.”