Aluminum Repousse Panel, "The Dragon and the Pearl"

Inspired by ancient myths, Thiva Boonnak portrays with exquisite detail in aluminum repoussé, a dragon holding a pearl. Pearls were believed to be the tears of the moon, and some were swallowed by oysters, some were guarded by dragons, and others were bestowed upon those who needed it, like in the tale of a boy called Xiao Sheng. He found a magical pearl that seemed to multiply all that was around it. Though Xiao Sheng shared its gifts with the rest of the villagers, some demanded that the pearl itself had to be shared. The boy swallowed it and became so thirsty he drank all the water in the river, and then began to turn into a dragon. Everyone recognized the pearl as the legendary Pearl of the River Dragon, the most coveted and beloved treasure. When Xiao Sheng fully became a dragon he brought the much-needed rain and carved a river as a way of saying farewell.