Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind 今天、明日和风中故事
Photography, Sound, and Performance
2023 - Ongoing
Installation View in the Forest I, 2024
"Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind" is an ongoing exploration of the co-existence between nature and humanity, interpreted by an imaginative dialogue between Nordic regions and East Asia in Photography and Sound. Inspired by my upbringing amidst rapid urban expansion in China and subsequent relocation to Finland, I draw inspiration from regional heritage, folklore to capture the complex emotions stemming from ecological degradation.
This project involves creating photographs by overlapping and double-exposing images captured during sensory field trips and everyday life in Finland, Iceland, and China. These images serve as visual metaphors, combining natural and artificial elements to reimagine a delicate utopia—a fable for tomorrow—reflecting on the current human-nature co-existence challenges.
In addition to photography, I have created a soundtrack album based on the photographic elements, building soundscapes with layers of my vocals and nature sounds from field recordings. Combining the photography series and the soundtracks, I transform the two mediums into an experimental Photo-Sound Performance. Using materials such as hanging Chinese rice papers, I present the sound-interactive photographs during the performance, crafting a utopian world of visuals and sound, inviting the audience to experience the photography in a performative manner.
Listen to the Sound Art Album “Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind”
Boy, Forest, and City Lights
Ancient Stone, Snowy Forest, and the Pattern of the Frozen Sea
For example, in the piece titled "Ancient Stone, Snowy Forest, and the Pattern of the Frozen Sea," the "frozen sea" symbolizes the transient nature of our environment. I overlap the photo of a stone, carried by glaciers and unaltered for millions of years in Finland, with the fleeting pattern of the frozen sea, which may vanish within days as temperatures rise, from which I would like to reflect on global warming, questioning what remains eternal amidst the threat of melting glaciers and shifting landscapes.
Hill, People, and the Street Light in the Fog
To Re-plant a Tree in Iceland
Woman, Foggy Island, and the Mirror in the Sky
Mother, Daughter, and the Highway Illumination
Lighthouse, Visitors, and Drifting Clouds
Climber, Mountain, and the Storm
Island, Solar Power, and Blue scratches on the sails
Snowy Cliff, Flying Mosquitoes, and the Ship on the Faraway Sea
Frozen Sea, Afterglow, and Airplane Glimmers
Clouds, Soaring Birds, and the Distant Lights from the Ferry
1839 Award Exhibition, Contemporary Image Museum, Chengdu international Photography Festival, 2023
Photography - Sound Performance, Helsinki, 2023
The accompanying experimental soundtrack album is a symphony of my vocal experiment in a 4-octave vocal range and sounds collected from the Nordic natural realm, encompassing the whispers of wind, the melodies of birds, the rugged resonance of rocks, and the ethereal echoes of the sea.
Interspersed within this sonic tapestry are the vibrant rhythms of human activities—helicopter flights, footsteps, the hum of machines, and the spoken word. My improvisational singing vocals establish an intimate connection with the natural soundscapes, creating sensory experiences.
The performance of “Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind” unfolds on a specially designed stage adorned with Chinese traditional rice papers, upon which the series of photographs is projected. As the soundtracks resound, I improvise singing, creating an ethereal atmosphere that transports viewers into the heart of the project's narrative.
A Whale’s Sympathy, Performance, Reykjavík, Iceland, 2023