回家Going Home
In 2004, I went back home, back to my familiar land, the home furnishings remains constant year round: old sofa fell in the shadow, plastic flowers beside my window had been covered with dust, the wall decorations suddenly have a kind of sad poetry. Home hides the reality of being ignored in the flow of time, which remains silent, conservating the secret of life.
These images are on my home, on my way back home all along the water of Yangtze River, where as the conduct of the Three Gorges water conservancy project has undergone tremendous upheaval: lived here for generations of countless families were moved to the field, to unknown area, for the begin of an unknown life.
All along my way home, watching old cities those about to disappear, watching new cities those are under construction, in the ever rising water I can still feel the desparate life itself will shine bright sun, and the warmth of sun behind the young boy, in the wilderness I feel myself returning home; the faces come and go before my lens, their expressions are as silent as still life, which make me respect deeply.
In 2004, I went back home, back to my familiar land, the home furnishings remains constant year round: old sofa fell in the shadow, plastic flowers beside my window had been covered with dust, the wall decorations suddenly have a kind of sad poetry. Home hides the reality of being ignored in the flow of time, which remains silent, conservating the secret of life.
These images are on my home, on my way back home all along the water of Yangtze River, where as the conduct of the Three Gorges water conservancy project has undergone tremendous upheaval: lived here for generations of countless families were moved to the field, to unknown area, for the begin of an unknown life.
All along my way home, watching old cities those about to disappear, watching new cities those are under construction, in the ever rising water I can still feel the desparate life itself will shine bright sun, and the warmth of sun behind the young boy, in the wilderness I feel myself returning home; the faces come and go before my lens, their expressions are as silent as still life, which make me respect deeply.
2004-2009
洄流 Trace Trace
“Trace Trace” is the project that I arranged the works of it recently, though it has been made over ten years.
The Three Gorges, China, my hometown, was the place that I had focused on photographing since 2004. I had kept coming back to there through 6 years, and the observation and experience on the road became the base for “Going Home”. People always say, “the hometown that we cannot come back, the nostalgia for home that cannot be told”. “The place where my families are is home”, now I think the hometown had never changed, it would always be there. We had left there, within the change of our experience, we now know the Three Gorges again from places outside there. I have gradually become determined to try something new for my hometown, not just left this unique place in my memory and imagination.
When I face the Three Gorges, my hometown, the most direct understanding for this place is based on its inevitable destination through the passing time. Since 2009, I started to create Trace Trace. I used my camera to face the the existence of daily life in the broader scenery along the Three Gorges. Through my observation and experience, I froze various situations such as walking, eating, and entertainment, and captured the passive new life within the lingering traces left there after the Three Gorges was transformed to a flat lake.
The word “Trace Trace” comes from the lines of "The spinning flow along the bank is sharp and deep, bearing the drum waves, the fishermen compete fishing for their life” in Xin Tan Guan Bu Yu Ge (New bank view fishing song), Ming dynasty. Extending from the original idea of spinning flow, it now means the eternal circling and staying of the individual spirit in the hometown. Depend on the flow pushing, people shall be realistic to their life in the most clumsy way, from multiple angles through a long time. Based on this concept, I hope to bring the spinning flow infinitely closer to the truth beneath the surface.
“Trace Trace” is the project that I arranged the works of it recently, though it has been made over ten years.
The Three Gorges, China, my hometown, was the place that I had focused on photographing since 2004. I had kept coming back to there through 6 years, and the observation and experience on the road became the base for “Going Home”. People always say, “the hometown that we cannot come back, the nostalgia for home that cannot be told”. “The place where my families are is home”, now I think the hometown had never changed, it would always be there. We had left there, within the change of our experience, we now know the Three Gorges again from places outside there. I have gradually become determined to try something new for my hometown, not just left this unique place in my memory and imagination.
When I face the Three Gorges, my hometown, the most direct understanding for this place is based on its inevitable destination through the passing time. Since 2009, I started to create Trace Trace. I used my camera to face the the existence of daily life in the broader scenery along the Three Gorges. Through my observation and experience, I froze various situations such as walking, eating, and entertainment, and captured the passive new life within the lingering traces left there after the Three Gorges was transformed to a flat lake.
The word “Trace Trace” comes from the lines of "The spinning flow along the bank is sharp and deep, bearing the drum waves, the fishermen compete fishing for their life” in Xin Tan Guan Bu Yu Ge (New bank view fishing song), Ming dynasty. Extending from the original idea of spinning flow, it now means the eternal circling and staying of the individual spirit in the hometown. Depend on the flow pushing, people shall be realistic to their life in the most clumsy way, from multiple angles through a long time. Based on this concept, I hope to bring the spinning flow infinitely closer to the truth beneath the surface.
2009-2013
如果江水可以倒流?
If the Yangtze River water can flow back?
2020年11月1日，“国之重器”三峡工程完成整体竣工验收。
China's Ministry of Water Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission announced the official full completion of the project's construction, saying the Three Gorges project has met all design requirements, has a good overall performance, and fulfills the key roles of flood control, electricity generation, shipping and water-resource utilization.
If the Yangtze River water can flow back?
2020年11月1日，“国之重器”三峡工程完成整体竣工验收。
China's Ministry of Water Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission announced the official full completion of the project's construction, saying the Three Gorges project has met all design requirements, has a good overall performance, and fulfills the key roles of flood control, electricity generation, shipping and water-resource utilization.
2013-2020
沿墙而行 Behind The Wall
Behind The Wall records many of my journeys to experience China, as I tried to get closer to the lands beyond my hometown in my own way. With a large format camera, I recorded the world that resonates with me. The automobile data recorder in the middle of the vehicle witnessed the 128,658 kilometers I traveled, which represent the objective records that go beyond myself. After numerous observations and experiences, the unknown lands and field domains constituted the walls for me - a traveler surround by different feelings. For example, the relics of the Great Wall in the desolate lands of North China impressed me as the high walls exclusive to my mind.
The intriguing daily lives I’ve experienced as a traveler come from towns and villages that are both fresh and old. The images I recorded are tantamount to portraits, which are pure and implicit to be compatible with the crevices and contradictions in the lands full of histories and memories.
For China, villages and cities seem to be two different worlds that are interconnected and mutually interactive. However, people today may find it difficult to live comfortably in these lands, which function as invisible walls and a mirror to enable people clearly see the roads they are walking on.
Behind The Wall records many of my journeys to experience China, as I tried to get closer to the lands beyond my hometown in my own way. With a large format camera, I recorded the world that resonates with me. The automobile data recorder in the middle of the vehicle witnessed the 128,658 kilometers I traveled, which represent the objective records that go beyond myself. After numerous observations and experiences, the unknown lands and field domains constituted the walls for me - a traveler surround by different feelings. For example, the relics of the Great Wall in the desolate lands of North China impressed me as the high walls exclusive to my mind.
The intriguing daily lives I’ve experienced as a traveler come from towns and villages that are both fresh and old. The images I recorded are tantamount to portraits, which are pure and implicit to be compatible with the crevices and contradictions in the lands full of histories and memories.
For China, villages and cities seem to be two different worlds that are interconnected and mutually interactive. However, people today may find it difficult to live comfortably in these lands, which function as invisible walls and a mirror to enable people clearly see the roads they are walking on.
2013-2020
🪦—“纪念碑”计划 Monument
“纪念碑”计划，是艺术家木格从民间的历史素材中展开的收集整理、编辑出版、展览呈现的项目。目前已收集整理了近二十多万张民国以来的底片、照片等图像素材。这些散落在中国民间的海量素材，不是历史中的重要时刻见证，而是我们普通人的日常痕迹和存在的纪念碑。
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“纪念碑”计划，是艺术家木格从民间的历史素材中展开的收集整理、编辑出版、展览呈现的项目。目前已收集整理了近二十多万张民国以来的底片、照片等图像素材。这些散落在中国民间的海量素材，不是历史中的重要时刻见证，而是我们普通人的日常痕迹和存在的纪念碑。
