I am thinking about starting a photography project during my January break back at home (China, Foshan), inspired by the “World Document” exhibition at Mount Holyoke College Art Museum.
Through camera lenses, photographers in that exhibition showed us images of common people in their daily lives. They eat, sleep, talk, walk, … all kinds of activities. But once recorded by camera, these human activities became interesting, seemingly not so trivial because of the moments of the past were frozen forever.
Of course, sometimes good photographs depend on the chosen perspectives, “skilful” eyes, aesthetic compositions, equipment, etc. But sometimes it’s about the subject itself.
I think about all those people living on the same street where I lived for my first 18 years. All kinds of people and business of a variety of “social hierarchy”: tailors, supermarket, restaurant, snack sellers, bookstores, open-air market, farmers (who come to sell their vegetables), people who fix bicycles, barber’s, a branch of local government tax collect department, etc. The street is also right beside a local university, and therefore, becomes the place for those university students to hang out. People are of different background, some locals, some far away from “inner area of China.”
I spent 18 years living on that street, but never got a chance, or, to put it straight, never gave these people a thought – and never realized how “interesting” their life stories may be. But after seeing the exhibition, I realized what a “rich pot of raw materials” I have in hand.
My main idea for the project is to first talk to various people – walk to strangers, talk to people who my parents know better, talk to people who I personally know (a little bit) – and then try to get them to talk about their life stories, and finally get their permission to take a photo of them – a portrait (within their working/living environment). It’s a very general idea, but I will figure out the details once I get back to China and talk to a few people.
I don’t have much time during this January break – have lots of stuff to do already: eat, talk, sleep, and eat, talk, sleep, etc. But I will try my best to start up and finish part of the project. I haven’t thought about the “outcome,” but I will definitely post some of them on the blog (if I get the permission from my “subjects”).
Good luck everyone. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! (Chinese New Year too!)
