Beyond the Visible
The theme “Beyond the Visible” was inspired by the pilgrims of Bethlehem—the endless queues of people coming from every corner of the earth, carrying their pains and hopes in search of salvation in a city enclosed by a wall. It always made me wonder about the shared human memory that draws these groups from different backgrounds and ethnicities to gather here. I began taking documentary photos, but I always felt unable to capture the emotions that the scenes evoked in me—the wandering eyes of the pilgrims, their search, their anticipation, their fears and hopes, their hidden yearnings, their visible and obscure emotions toward the place, and their solemnity and reverence before the poignant presence of its history. It is the puzzle of this human mosaic that my direct documentary photos could never convey.
I found myself engaged in continuous experimental efforts with my camera until I was able to create a multi-layered effect that, for me, reflects the multi-layered nature of the human soul—the collective human memory and subconscious, where dreams and fears are concealed. It is also an attempt to grasp the meaning of salvation in the broader human context, the floating nature of human existence, and our fragile passage through time.
