While deeply aware of the underlying tensions in all love relationship, fresh graduate Cher believes it’s very worthwhile to preserve and present the blissful moments of a couple, even if it’s just a moment. Thus started her months-long action research — from field photography to photography as events — to act out as a sonder person. 對周遭的人的感悟有多少？李祉昕以行動出發，攝影是牽動關係的探索行動，為了展出，更是為了接觸別人和自學。
**All images are provided by the artist.
Cher: How I Met Your Mother (李祉昕《浪漫史》2022.10.16-29, FP Open Door) is not just a display of installed photography from material collected in Europe. Join the artist on 23 October (3-6pm) to make time-capsule postcards followed by a tea-party conversations. Drop by. The show may grow with a Hong Kong version with your generous participation.
EVENT POST […]
Sonder (uncountable noun)*, the realization that each random passer-by is living a life as vivid and complex as one’s own.
I came across this concise and beautiful word when I was browsing the internet spontaneously one day. This soon became the inspiration for me to embrace the feeling of how intriguing different lives can be.
Under the influence of individualism, we constantly only focus and experience life through our own lens, with ourselves as the center of the narrative, so much so that we seldom take time to zoom out to think about others’ similarly complex and unique lives. Everyone is the main character in their own story, hence how wonderful it would be to take a break to wonder about others’ and, even more interestingly, other’s love stories.
While the scene of couples holding hands on the streets never fails to warm people’s hearts, radiating pieces of bliss and wholesomeness to the pedestrians, as a youngster, I am also deeply aware of the tensions between all the lovely couples. This is why I want to preserve and present the blissful moments through documenting. Getting into a healthy relationship that is full of friendship, happiness and love has always been the most popular lifelong goals for humankind to achieve, yet the possibility to find “the one” is so rare that some dedicate their whole life to such pursuit.
This art piece results from the interviews I conducted with couples I met during my travels in Europe. I listened to their love stories and took photos with my favorite film camera before we departed. Some pairs just met each other for days while some had been married for decades. Some met each other in parties and clubs while some met since kindergarten. Photos were then printed and arranged according to the age of the couples in a chronological order.
RESEARCH CONDUCTED. While in Europe, I have conducted several rounds of research to collect the material for a possible artwork. My study mainly took place during my outbound exchange to Zurich, Switzerland, since September, 2021. During the few months, I visited various European countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Finland. In each city I went, I interviewed random couples on the streets or parks. After short conversations, I took photos of them, mainly on my film camera and, subordinately on my digital camera. The age range of the involved couples vary from teenagers to elderly, including various races, with the aim to be diverse and comprehensive.
As a spectator, we should also remind ourselves that we have no right to judge people’s private lives with the perception we derive from glimpses as we have no knowledge of the underlying stories. But we can always make the best out of the experience, and that is also the feeling I want to navigate to reach my audience — the sharing of pure appreciation towards all kinds of loves.
When I returned to Hong Kong from Europe, I was hoping to recreate a Hong Kong edition of the artwork, displaying local lovely couples and sweet stories. Yet, it is more arduous than I imagine. Bashfulness seems to be an innate trait among Hong Kongers. People are mostly reluctant to be photographed, not to mention being displayed in a public event. I hope Hong Kong people can learn to be less vigilant and more care-free towards everything surrounding them and just venture out.
Final words. I wish all relationships can be healing and I wish everyone eventually gets to find the one-of-a-kind love that will carry you forward to your final days on this earth, with a smile.
(October 2022, Floating Projects)
*Sonder — neologism, uncountable noun, coined by John Koenig in 2012 for his project The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, which aims to come up with new words for emotions that currently lack words. (Wikitionary) A sonder person is one able of the profound feeling to realize that “everyone, including strangers passing in the street, has a life as complex as one’s own, which they are constantly living despite one’s personal lack of awareness of it.” (Google)
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Cher, (noun), a constantly curious mind who likes to venture.
What is the definition of the word “artist”? For me, I would say when you are doing things you like or you think is right; you are the artwork and the artist.
