Hannah Tjia "Run and Find Out"
oil and metal leaf on aluminum composite
11 x 20 inches, 2025
Run and Find Out is inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s short story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” that tells of the adventures of a brave little Indian mongoose. Caught in a flood and washed up onto the garden path of a bungalow, the young mongoose find himself a new home. During his time there, Rikki fights three battles against three snakes. First, Rikki defeats a dust brown snakeling named Karait. Second, Rikki faces Nag, a king cobra, who plots to attack the house’s sleeping family. Ambushing the cobra before he can strike, Rikki defeats him as the man of the house rushes in, firing a finishing shot. The next morning, Rikki encounters his third and final adversary, Nagaina, Nag’s wife. Enraged by the foiling of her and husband’s plans, she threatens the family’s young son. However, with the help of the garden’s tailorbirds, Rikki finds and destroys Nagaina’s clutch in the melon bed and uses the last egg to bargain. It all ends in a final underground fight in Nagaina’s den during which Rikki defies all odds and emerges victorious. After these battles, Rikki remains as the family’s protector, living up to every good mongoose’s motto to always “run and find out” and never turn tail from a fight no matter the odds and no matter the challenge.
oil and metal leaf on aluminum composite
11 x 20 inches, 2025
Run and Find Out is inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s short story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” that tells of the adventures of a brave little Indian mongoose. Caught in a flood and washed up onto the garden path of a bungalow, the young mongoose find himself a new home. During his time there, Rikki fights three battles against three snakes. First, Rikki defeats a dust brown snakeling named Karait. Second, Rikki faces Nag, a king cobra, who plots to attack the house’s sleeping family. Ambushing the cobra before he can strike, Rikki defeats him as the man of the house rushes in, firing a finishing shot. The next morning, Rikki encounters his third and final adversary, Nagaina, Nag’s wife. Enraged by the foiling of her and husband’s plans, she threatens the family’s young son. However, with the help of the garden’s tailorbirds, Rikki finds and destroys Nagaina’s clutch in the melon bed and uses the last egg to bargain. It all ends in a final underground fight in Nagaina’s den during which Rikki defies all odds and emerges victorious. After these battles, Rikki remains as the family’s protector, living up to every good mongoose’s motto to always “run and find out” and never turn tail from a fight no matter the odds and no matter the challenge.
oil and metal leaf on aluminum composite
11 x 20 inches, 2025
Run and Find Out is inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s short story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” that tells of the adventures of a brave little Indian mongoose. Caught in a flood and washed up onto the garden path of a bungalow, the young mongoose find himself a new home. During his time there, Rikki fights three battles against three snakes. First, Rikki defeats a dust brown snakeling named Karait. Second, Rikki faces Nag, a king cobra, who plots to attack the house’s sleeping family. Ambushing the cobra before he can strike, Rikki defeats him as the man of the house rushes in, firing a finishing shot. The next morning, Rikki encounters his third and final adversary, Nagaina, Nag’s wife. Enraged by the foiling of her and husband’s plans, she threatens the family’s young son. However, with the help of the garden’s tailorbirds, Rikki finds and destroys Nagaina’s clutch in the melon bed and uses the last egg to bargain. It all ends in a final underground fight in Nagaina’s den during which Rikki defies all odds and emerges victorious. After these battles, Rikki remains as the family’s protector, living up to every good mongoose’s motto to always “run and find out” and never turn tail from a fight no matter the odds and no matter the challenge.