AFFECTION

Still Life

I enjoy solitude. I often travel alone, dine alone, and spend my nights immersed in reading or music. During these solitary moments, whenever I feel something deeply, I capture what I see with my iPhone, guided by the emotion of the moment.

One of the photos I took inspired me to choose this topic for the project. The image appears to show a "rose" hanging upside down, which I initially mistook for a real flower. In fact, it was the torn remains of plastic bags hanging outside a food market on the streets of Macau. Only after observing it for a few seconds did I realize its true nature.

To me, this "upside-down rose" symbolizes disappointment in romantic love. It also reminds me of one of my favorite films, In the City of Sylvia. The film tells a simple yet deeply beautiful story about an artist sketching outside a cafe. As he observes and draws the people around him, he notices a girl sitting by the window who resembles someone he met years ago. After she leaves, he follows her through the city to the train station, hoping she is the woman he once knew, only to discover, with disappointment, that he was mistaken.

This film inspired the theme of my project, which explores the subtle moments of everyday life. These seemingly mundane experiences can leave a lasting impression, remaining in one's memory for a lifetime. Perhaps they even resurface in the final moments before one loses consciousness. A fleeting, serendipitous moment, such as catching sight of someone in a cafe while simply looking around, can become one of these unforgettable memories.