Imitation of Life
Analog photography
Guangzhou, China
This project explores how our bodies might enter into fictional encounters with the everyday living spaces and objects that surround us. These photographs were made in Guangzhou (China) during the COVID-19 period, a time when we were compelled to inhabit marginal and in-between spaces, which in turn heightened my sensitivity to the dialogue between structure and body. The subjects are my close friends and family members; the trust we share generates unique dynamics and interactions. Meanwhile, the dialogue between us enlightens the improvisation during the shooting process, and it is essential in my work that my body guides my intuition and thus the work.
Another intriguing aspect of this project lies in the materiality of space itself.
How do we unconsciously perceive a dwelling and the materials that constitute it? These façades and veneers bear the traces of time, revealing both personal histories and the stylistic influences of a given era. I am particularly interested in these layered materialities, where the perception of time becomes unsettled.
My long-term interest lies in the visual relationships between the living spaces and the human bodies. Inspired by phenomenology, I explore possibilities of interaction between bodies and everyday living spaces. Humans’ mind and their living spaces continually intertwine with each other. I see the body—including my own—as a medium for perceiving and responding to the material world. I use photography as a way to re-arrange and re-frame familiar objects, disrupting habitual ways of seeing. For me, this process becomes an effective tool to question the ideologies hidden in daily life.
Special thanks to: Andy Yip, Hong Xuan, mafmadmaf, Meng Hongyu, Jin Qiaoer, zhangzin