Exhibited for House of Vans KL, part of Vans Malaysia’s 50th Anniversary Celebration at Slate, The Row KL, on March 19, 2016.

Codex LXVI is a visual chronicle of Vans’ legacy, told through iconography, symbolism, ciphers, and binary. The piece was inscribed in gold and black paint on a modern-day wooden tablet — the skate deck — transforming it into a sacred object.

Gold

Gold represents prosperity, power, and magic. The paint used in this work is the same type used to decorate shrines. A gold skate deck symbolizes the holiness, power, and mysticism of skateboarding culture.

Black

Black was painted over the gold background to represent the struggles that coexist with success. Together, the two colors embody harmony — the balance between triumph and hardship.

The Skate Deck as Sacred Tablet

The deck itself symbolizes a cultural artifact, revered by those who skate and live by the Vans spirit.

Inspiration

Inspired by the gilded murals of Thai Buddhist temples, this work bridges traditional art and modern pop culture. It reflects my view of the future: old knowledge combined with new discoveries creates what is yet to come.

CODEX LXVI

Process