Operating as Baby Reni, Irene Ha simultaneously deconstructs and opens fashion conventions from an art standpoint. The artist declares an interest in the global logistics and rapid intercultural communication behind today’s clothing and media, a context in which the notions of “local” or “authentic” are being redefined. Dissecting bits and bobs from not only the contemporary culture she grew up in but also the traditional customs of her heritage, she aims to draw connections between these two opposites. The kaleidoscopic assemblages, installations and performances she creates are recalibrations of everyday diasporic objects, trinkets and interiors, to celebrate the mashup that is Diasporic Southeast Asian Pop Culture. Baby Reni can be seen as a strategic deployment of “cuteness” as an aesthetic category, where power lies in unthreatening appearances.