THE RITE OF DIVINATION
JACKY CHENG
Ask boldly. Receive thoughtfully. A contemporary take on the rituals we use to navigate uncertainty.
Jacky Cheng’s The Rite of Divination explores ritual, belief and decision-making through Chinese divination practices, particularly the use of moon blocks.
In Chinese cultural traditions, people use moon blocks (jiaobei) to seek guidance from ancestors or deities when making decisions. Traditionally carved from wood, the blocks help people navigate relationships between heaven, earth and the underworld. The practice comes with a simple instruction: do not ask a question unless you are prepared to receive the answer. In this sense, divination is less about predicting the future and more about reflection, responsibility and intention.
Through sculptural works, installations and wall-based forms made using weaving, casting and assemblage, The Rite of Divination explores the relationship between cultural traditions and contemporary life. While grounded in Chinese ritual practices, the exhibition speaks to universal experiences — our desire for certainty, the comfort of ritual, and the ways we seek guidance when faced with uncertainty.
Jacky Cheng is a Malaysian-born artist of Chinese heritage whose sculptural and installation practice explores ritual, diaspora and cultural transmission through paper, fibre and contemporary craft. Drawing on intergenerational knowledge and cultural traditions, her work investigates how belief systems persist, adapt and travel across time and place.
In a period marked by global instability, shifting power structures and rapid technological change, ritual — whether cultural, spiritual or habitual — becomes a means of grounding and agency. The Rite of Divination offers a reflective space to consider belief not as superstition, but as a social and psychological system shaping behaviour, relationships and decision-making.”
Jacky Cheng
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jacky Cheng is a Malaysian-born artist of Chinese heritage based on Yawuru Country in Rubibi (Broome) Western Australia.
Trained in architecture at the University of New South Wales, her sculptural and installation practice investigates ritual, diaspora and cultural transmission through materially driven processes, particularly paper and fibre.
Drawing from Taoist divination practices and intergenerational knowledge passed down through her grandmother, Cheng repositions domestic ritual within contemporary art contexts, examining how belief and cultural memory persist across time and geography.
Jacky has exhibited nationally and internationally, with her work presented at the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre, Cheongju Craft Biennale and Geumgang Nature Art Biennale in South Korea, National Art School in Sydney, and The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Cheng is the recipient of multiple national art awards and continues to develop work that bridges contemporary craft, cultural inquiry and cross-generational dialogue.
Follow Jacky
jackycheng.com.au
@jackychengart on Instagram
Photo: Ezra Alcantra
TOURING DETAILS FOR VENUES
| AVAILABILITY | 2027-29 |
| COST SHARE | Non-members: $5,000 + GST Members: $4,500 + GST |
| MEDIA | Wall and plinth-based sculptures, audio |
| INSTALL REQUIREMENTS | Minimum 40–50m2 floor space Minimum 3m ceiling height Wall paint or textile component to recreate original presentation |
| INTERPRETATION MATERIALS | Exhibition intro panel/s, artwork labels, large font labels booklet |
| LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT* | Artist/gallery talks; artist-led artmaking workshops (e.g. tassel-making or lucky charm-making); facilitated conversations exploring ritual as contemporary practice |
| MARKETING | Marketing Kit includes high resolution photos, media release template, poster, invitation and invitation list |
*Learning & Engagement programs are in development and subject to change. Please contact us for the latest information
This tour is made possible through the Regional Creative Industries Fund with support from the WA Government.
Header image: Jacky Cheng, The Rite of Divination, 2025. Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre, installation view. Photo: Bo Wong