THE FLOATING EXCHANGE

The Floating Exchange (2014) is an interactive installation comprising hundreds of tiny handmade porcelain fish, suspended shimmering beneath the hull of a bamboo ship. Originally created for the exhibition Itadakimasu, the work invites audiences to participate in a ritual of exchange: to break off a porcelain fish and tie something in return.

Each gesture—whether thoughtful, spontaneous, generous, or mundane—transforms the piece into something living, unpredictable, and ever-changing. Some participants arrived prepared; others rummaged through pockets and bags. What was offered in return ranged from cherished objects to cast-off fragments of daily life.

This installation explores how our individual actions can collectively transform the natural world—for better or worse. The title The Floating Exchange plays on the concept of currency, suggesting that money is not the only form of exchange at stake in the pursuit of success or growth. Each porcelain fish was hand-cast over a three-month residency in Jingdezhen, China—a historic porcelain village where Choy learned traditional painting on porcelain ceramic and slip-casting techniques, in the same place where Ai Weiwei crafted his inspiring Unilever Series for the Tate Modern.

The installation’s bamboo ship hull, adorned with glittering porcelain fish suspended by silken antique thread, initially breathed with life and stillness. The work was entrancing—gently swaying in response to audience movement, the glazed surfaces caught and shifted light like a natural murmuration. It was a peaceful and monumental statement on interconnectedness and impermanence.

After the exhibition’s formal opening, the room full of visitors was invited to take a fish, tying something in return—inviting a sense of randomness to the piece in ways the artist could never predict or control. Together, these tokens transformed The Floating Exchange into a collective story of place and time—an ephemeral timestamp.

This act of exchange reflects our complex relationship with nature: each taking and giving back, shaping our world through the cumulative. It is a reminder of the delicate balance between what we take and what we leave behind.

The Floating Exchange is the first iteration of an ongoing international experience, intended to gather force and collect ephemera from around the world—touching hearts and minds in a collective global journey.

Although launched ten years ago, the work continues to live and evolve. Choy dreams of The Floating Exchange becoming part of the Asia Pacific Triennial at QAGOMA—a seminal exhibition held every three years near the artist’s home—offering a platform for this collective reflection to come together as a final statement of global connection for the environment.