A Year in Shadows
Sunsets have recently felt bittersweet; as the days grow longer and the season gradually warms, they remind me that graduation—the transition to a new stage in life—is approaching. I've been thinking about how the solar path encapsulates time—how the present sadly fades into the past while the near future takes place. Every day, I surrender to the fact that the sun is gradually setting farther north, unable to remain at one location. My fixation on the sun has led me to learn that the interplay between light and shadows is influenced by altitude, which is dictated by time, and latitude, which governs the scattering of light. All these rapidly shifting factors shape shadows, whether dramatically elongating or condensing them to match the size of their respective owners. I find it fascinating that as sunlight slips through different cracks throughout the year, it rules where the shadows are imprinted on surfaces.
After returning to places and spaces, I realized the sun cycles back to the same position annually. It recreates lighting and shadows similar to the prior year, evoking memories of a specific phase of my life. My observations compel me to reflect on my current self relative to who I was a year ago, which can offer both gratefulness and wistfulness. Unlike how sunsets follow a predictable pattern, humans can't revive the past. There have been times when I was too preoccupied with reminiscing that I forgot to appreciate the present until it vanished.
My photographs convey sentimentality as lighting, shadows, and scenery can prompt one to recall the past through the lens of one's present self and speculate about the future. Unfortunately, humans can only preserve their past feelings and experiences in their minds, somewhere intangible yet vivid. This series explores the paradox of revisiting the past without being immersed in it, aligning with how the nature of life can feel cyclical but not stagnant. It also reflects the idea of not entirely losing yourself in the past, present, or future but occasionally transcending their boundaries—visiting the other realms while learning to ground yourself in the most daunting one.
