Touch-me-not is part of the Zombie Diaries series of painting.

Technically, Zombies are dead and do not breathe. This Head Zombie however had been holding its breath for a long time, thinking that it should be human. There is tension in its face, hence its cheeks are sunken and its teeth clenched. It’s barely hanging on, being unable to move and live as a Zombie should. The mimosa plant, sometimes call the touch-me-not, folds its leaves inwards when touched. Perhaps it is a reflex to prevent from getting eaten. But with no movement and life emanating from the Head Zombie, the mimosa plant grows exponentially with its leaves wide open, almost burying the Zombie under its leaves. Have you ever felt like the Head Zombie? In this painting, the Head Zombie decided to be who it is. It still clenches its teeth but finally breathes out a last sigh. The colours in the sigh are its pent-up feeling and emotions. The mimosa now folds its leaves in acknowledgement of this release… and awakening.

About Zombie Diaries

Zombie Diaries is based on the premise that zombies have taken over the world. There are no human beings left! We have either turned to zombies or were eaten by them! What happens if zombies continue to live without human beings, their main source of food? What do they eat? How do they survive? What do they feel? Each painting is a diary entry by a zombie. They live among nature and the ruins of the city, adapting to an environment where Nature has started to take over. In this series of paintings, I chose to depict elements from the city I live in. Plants, animals, infrastructure and environments are based on places I have been to, things I have seen and researched about in Singapore. To me, zombies are a metaphor for our fears. Because they are essentially humans, zombies are also metaphoric for what we fear about ourselves.

Zombie Diaries is conceptualised as a deck of cards with an accompanying zine that describes the meaning of the cards. The deck can be used for a game of story-telling, oracle card readings or as prompts in journal writing.