Lilli Waters

A trio of koi fish encircles a single waterlily, reflecting the Three Worlds of Traiphum: the celestial, earthly, and underworld realms. In Thai culture, three fish symbolise guardianship: each watches over one of these realms and maintains the balance of life. Their arrangement conveys vigilance, stability, and harmony, with each element supporting the others. The waterlily, or bua, evokes purity and spiritual awakening. Repeating patterns of three are considered auspicious in Thailand, promoting prosperity, spiritual protection, and alignment with cosmic order.

Says Lilli Waters of her photographic series ‘Sunken Water Gardens สวนใต้น้ำ’, “I explore my Thai heritage and ancestral mythology, drawing from the Buddhist cosmology of Traiphum, the Three Worlds, encompassing the celestial (heavenly), the terrestrial (earthly), and the infernal (underworld). These ethereal underwater still-life landscapes intertwine plants, flowers, and fish to create tranquil, meditative scenes that reflect my preoccupation with the natural world while connecting to cultural memory. Offerings of flowers and water become gestures linking the living with the divine.

"I have always felt a detachment from my Thai heritage, yet I see it reflected in the way my mother looks and in gestures that feel familiar. I am
deeply curious about what has been carried across generations, the weight of trauma and nostalgia, the silences, the absences, and the things never spoken but deeply felt. Through my underwater still-life photography, I explore the intersection of these cultural identities, blending traditional Thai symbolism with contemporary artistic expression."