Photo Diptych Project

A.  Yunhsuan Chen, “Under the disease”

B.  Concept

During the National Holiday vacation, I saw classmates posting about their hometowns on Wechat. They all smiled happily in the pictures, which remind me of Taiwan, a place that I lived for at least eighteen years. Even though the distance is not very far, due to Covid-19, I can not fly back due to over 28 days of quarantine and expensive hotels and airplane tickets. Therefore, I thought that I can represent the concept of epidemic and the depressed emotion it brings via my Photo Diptych Project.

C.  Process

In the first picture, I purposely chose sunflower as my main character, which is known for its vigorous and optimistic nature. I have never bought flowers before, so I spend a lot of time trimming, which is a novel experience for me. Furthermore, where I should take pictures is also a problem. My mom’s home is small and messy. Luckily, I found out that photographing the flowers in front of the window can increase a sense of isolation, which is closer to my concept.

In the beginning, I picked a picture with a mask hanging on it as my original picture , which seems interesting and makes the audience want to know more about the other topic. However, I found out that this version may be too literal that everyone knows that my project is related to diseases. As a result, I changed to another one.

In this version, owing to the overall shade and the iron window behind, the sunflowers look sad, lonely, and not that lively compared to the sunflowers’ inherent features.

       

I also tried many times for the part two image. I first want to make use of a mask as a cover to protect sunflowers from the disease. The pedals under the mask are bright, while the areas outside the mask seem deadly. I also changed color many times for a better present.

However, I thought that these images were too simple and lacked creativity. Therefore, I wanted to do something different. I use some images I took before; for example, the background is a photo I took when I was in a quarantined hotel; the hole on the door is the only thing I can look through, and hope I can get out as quickly as possible. I also used a selfie I took in the airport that I wore goggles, masks, and a raincoat to protect myself. I made this version because I wanted to show that not only humans, sunflowers, as a metaphor, also became inanimate because of the Covid-19. The hole on the door is just like a bridge connecting each of them, who both want to see the light through the ‘hole’.

Nevertheless, the professor thought this version is too obvious and literal that everyone knows I want to indicate a concept concerning epidemic. Therefore, she suggested that I change my project.

I felt very depressed and anxious after class because I only had one night left and there are still many assignments for me in the waiting list.Thanks to my mom, she reminded me that there are still some pictures I can use for this project. I gradually have some ideas.

This is my final version of this project. The sunflowers do not seem very healthy because the disease is just like a beast that wants to bite and swallow the lively plants. Fortunately, after taking temperature by the thermometer, they are safe. Due to the health code, the color sunflowers have is green. However, the flowers beside are not that lucky, they had already died from the infection, and that the health code around them is red.

My favorite part of this project is God. He seems to be blinded by the mask and can not see the human world. Even though the Earth is ‘red’ and full of danger, he just smiles and asks us not to talk. Does God have solutions to rescue the world? Is he still waiting for someone or something? Humans like us know nothing. God just smiles.

However, if we look closely, the heaven he lives in is still pure.

D.  Conclusion

If I have time, I want to make my project more abstract and not that literal. In this case, every classmate can interpret something during the discussion time. Moreover, I may try to think about another complicated composition. 

E.  Image of Diptych