UNVEILED - 2023
“Mustard(芥子)” is a theme that diverges from the conventional under- standing of time. Through my experience of raising reptiles, I have per- sonally witnessed the beginning and end of life. Each species has its lim- ited lifespan. This experience has made me acutely aware of the fragility and impermanence of life, recognizing the relentless yet precious flow of time. Among these creatures, there are not only my pets, but also pets once owned by friends, even animal remains found in the wild, and some realis- tic toys. Every single individual among them, for me, is a real existence in this world, a life sharing the wondrous presence of life and time. Their brief existence, compared to my long life, is merely a fleeting moment. This jour- ney has instilled in me a deeper appreciation for each passing moment and the importance of harmonizing with the natural environment.
Through observing, documenting living beings, or creating specimens of lifeless species and capturing them in photographs, I strive to eternally capture these creatures in images. Additionally, I reintegrate the specimens back into nature, reconnecting them with the pulse of the natural world. Throughout this process, I have felt a profound connection between myself, living beings, and the natural world, sparking profound reflections on the meaning of life and the relationship between humanity and nature. It guides me to contemplate the fleeting and ever-changing nature of each life, akin to a grain of sand in this vast universe, just as it is in Buddhist philosophy with “(芥子纳须弥)a mustard seed’s worth of space containing the entire universe.” Humanity, too, exists in nature in this way. Despite our gradual detachment from the primal natural environment, we remain closely inter- twined with it. Through such commemorative approaches, it demonstrates my attitude of respecting and cherishing life, simultaneously deepening my understanding of the interconnectedness of life and the cycles of nature.
「芥子」是一個以時間的理解與常人不同為出發點的主題。在我飼養爬寵的過程中，我親身體驗了生命的開始和結束，每個物種都有其有限的壽命。這個經驗讓我深刻感受到生命的脆弱和無常，並意識到時間的流逝是無情而珍貴的。這些生物裡不僅有我的寵物，也有朋友曾經飼養的寵物，還有野外撿到的動物尸體，甚至有一些仿真玩具。他們中的每一個個體對我而言，都是真實存在與這個世界的生命，更是與我分享生命和時間奇妙存在的生物。他們的短暫存在與我漫長一生相比只是一瞬間。這段經歷讓我更加珍惜每一個當下，並重視與自然環境的和諧相處。
我以觀察記錄活物，或製作死物標本並拍攝照片的方式，試圖將這些生物永恆地凝視在影像中。而且，我還製作的標本帶到自然中，將它們重新融入自然的脈動。在此過程中，我深切感受到自身，生物，與自然息息相關的連結，從而誘發我深入思考生命的意義以及人類與自然的關係。它引導我思考每一個生命的短暫、變幻無常而又渺小，如這大千世界中一粒沙土，正如佛門中“芥子納須彌”，人類在自然中亦是如此。儘管人類逐漸脫離原始的自然環境，但我們仍與自然密切相連。透過這樣的紀念方式，展現我尊重和珍惜生命的態度，同時也讓我更深刻地理解生命與自然循環的關係。.
Size:28x28cm
Format:Folding Book
UNVEILED - 2023
Unveiled: Embracing the Journey of Self-Acceptance
At the tender age of four, my existence underwent a complete upheaval, a dramatic twist that unfolded in the most unforeseen manner.
“Unveiled” is a thematic exploration centered around personal growth and self-acceptance. From the childhood mishap that led to a fractured elbow and left a noticeable surgical scar, I experienced physical deformity and struggled with the insecurities arising from others’ opinions. These physiological imperfections and external judgments left me feeling uneasy and self-conscious.
As I grew older, I gradually gained confidence and began to embrace my differences. Through encounters with diverse individuals, I started to sense shifts in their attitudes towards me. This sparked my contemplation about the growth of my own self-assurance and the impact of our surroundings on our perceptions. I began questioning whether it was my growing confidence or the maturation of those around me that led to the change in their views of me.
The individual, as a vessel, with the wound serving as the entry point, experiences the continuous invasion of various attitudes from others. I could only passively accept this state of affairs. Building upon this personal journey, I captured a series of photographic works that depict my emotions and transformative experiences in accepting my uniqueness and striving for self-confidence. These pieces showcase my process of acceptance and the pursuit of embracing who I am.
By embracing the journey of self-acceptance, I wish to prompt the viewers to contemplate the interplay between the physical and the emotional, as well as the significance of embracing one’s individuality. Through this creative endeavor, my goal is to convey a message: regardless of physical or psychological wounds, we can embrace our differences, cultivate self-assurance, and together with others, foster growth and understanding.
「UNVEILED」是一個以個人成長和自我接受為主題的心路歷程。從小時候的意外事故造成的手肘骨折和手術疤痕，我經歷了身體的畸形和被他人評論的自卑感。這些生理缺陷和外界的評價使我感到不安和自卑。
隨著年齡的增長，我逐漸變得自信，開始接受自己的不同之處。透過遇到各種不同的人，我開始感受到他們對待我的態度的轉變。這引發了我對自身自信的成長和身邊環境對個體影響的思考。我開始思考，是我個人的自信逐漸增強，還是周圍人的成長造成了他們對我的看法改變？個體作為一個容器，傷口成為進入的入口，身邊人的各種態度不斷侵入，而我只能被動地接受這樣的狀態。以這段心路歷程為基礎，我拍攝了一系列攝影作品，展示我的情感和成長過程。這些作品呈現了我在接受自己的不同之處和追求自信的過程中所經歷的情緒和轉變。
這個主題引導觀眾思考身體和心靈的關係，以及接受個體獨特性的重要性。透過這樣的創作，我希望傳達一個信息：無論身體上或心理上的傷口，我們都能夠接受自己的不同之處，培養自信，並與他人共同成長和理解。
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Size:28x28cm
Format:Butterfly-fold Binding
EPHEMERA - 2023
Through photography, I capture the tangible traces left by the passage of time in a specific space, reflecting on the nature of change and the significance of these traces. This theme explores the concept of time’s flow and its impact on space, akin to the New Topographic Photography movement.
While focusing on smaller corners and highlighting details, my photographs represent tiny fragments in the vast timeline, reminding us of the fragile and ever-changing nature of existence. In the realm of photography, these images become a record of the objective reality that once was, allowing us to contemplate the fleeting moments captured within.
I also made and documented a handmade photographic book based on the theme.
Ephemera （生命极短促之物,蜉蝣）
本書名為《蜉蝣》，“Ephemera”本意為生命極短暫之物，在中文裡，“蜉蝣”一詞源於某種生命極其短暫的昆蟲，因這個種類朝生暮死的特性，恰好隱喻了主題裡時間的短暫和有限性。經過時間洗刷的痕跡，理應是宏大的，不可磨滅的，而我拍攝的痕跡卻是脆弱的，轉瞬即逝的。就如同蜉蝣的壽命一般，在自然的時間進程裡微乎其微，無關緊要。
透過攝影的媒介，來捕捉某處空間在一段時間的變遷裡，因抽象化的時間流逝屬性所影響，從而被動留下的具象化痕跡。這個主題將引導觀眾思考時間的流逝、變化的本質以及痕跡所承載的意義。地理空間意義上，固定區域經過長時間段的流逝，不論當前空間的環境發生怎樣的變化，本質上這片空間的地理位置未曾改變。然而，用照片的形式截取一個時間點將其圖像化，時間的流逝則在視覺上賦予空間新的意義。抽象意義上的時間的流逝，其本質便是變化，而變化所具象化的形式，便是在現實世界中所留下的痕跡。
有這麼一種”新地形攝影“的形式，旨在捕捉和探索地球上的地貌和自然環境變化。它強調帶有客觀性地去記錄，拍攝內容從起初的自然風光逐漸轉向人造風景，著重關注時間和空間的變遷。我的主題嘗試記錄時間流逝下對空間產生的痕跡，正如新地形攝影通過攝影媒介捕捉這樣的地貌和自然環境的變化。不同的是，我的主體並非聚焦在宏大的地形，而是更多地關注小角落，通過更多拍攝相對來說較小的一片空間並突出其中的細節，探索一種屬於我自己的”新地形“攝影形式。
縱觀主題，我所拍攝的僅僅是漫長時間長河中極其微小的一粒芥子，所截取的時間段也僅僅是細小微末的一個瞬間，此外仍舊有數不盡的片段所壓縮的瞬間。在時間的系統裡，這些痕跡歷經反復的一種循環過程：出現——摧毀——出現。在永恆的時間裡，所有具象化的事物都是脆弱的、多變的、無力的，回到照片的本質，只有攝影能夠記錄這些景觀曾經客觀真實存在過。
Size:28x28cm
Format:Butterfly-fold Binding
TOKYO BOOK
FIRST HANDMADE PHOTOGRAPHIC BOOK EVER MADE.
UNTITLED BOOK
This is a project of making two casebound books that includes ten themes. For each theme, it consists of eight photos that I took within a place.
Baltimore (39.2904° N, 76.6122° W);
Cancun (21.1619° N, 86.8515° W);
Charlotte (35.1761° N, 80.8544° W);
Da’li (25.6065° N, 100.2676° E);
Dun’huang (40.1421° N, 94.6620° E);
Li’jiang (26.8550° N, 100.2277° E);
Miami (25.7617° N, 80.1918° W);
Tokyo (35.6804° N, 139.7690° E);
Xia’men (24.4798° N, 118.0894° E);
Xin’jiang (2.5246° N, 87.5396° E).
©Syan Hu • Soft Sect Theme by Cargo