The first problem I met when I started my personal project, is that I couldn’t narrow down my subject properly. In my application materials of April 2019, I wrote as ‘my project will be based on the subject of human-human interaction…How can we express it through still picture? Illustration should have its unique power to reflect the diverse relationships among people.’ After almost half a year, even myself noticed it’s too vague to turn to practice. However, I can confirm my interest in drawing figures comparing to landscapes and animals (I draw them too, but always not the key part of the image), especially group figures.
Accepting the tutor’s advice, I looked back my experience, to see how illustration can reflect my personal growth. I made a list to define ‘who I am’:
- Have left hometown and lived in city for ten years - One-year solitude in Japan - First time to UK, no friends, no relatives, and my family will not come to visit me - Travel alone for several times - Own no stable relationships with anyone special - Have no strong obsession with anything (even illustration) - Never have small social circles - Own no houses or cars or any real procession - Always make decisions on my own (such as starting leaning illustration, quitting a good job to come to UK alone) - Alone but not lonely; enjoy myself wherever I am
After all the above thoughts, a word jumped into my mind ---- WANDERER.
I tired to describe this word as ‘not refer to the social status, but mental state. It is about your identity should not be defined by those worldly possessions. It is about how you can find your inner peace’. It can be extended to the following key words: nomadic life, inner peace, sense of security.
The simplest and quickest way to clarify my idea at that moment, might be giving some examples. I recorded four scenes based on teleplays, variety shows and daily observation.
- This is a story from teleplay <Modern Love>, inspired by personal essays form the New York Times column. A gay male couple adopted a baby from a homeless girl. She said she just didn’t like being in one place for too long. She followed the sun.
- The old man is Yukun Xu. He is a 72-year-old Chinese man who has spent the past decade on his bike travelling the world. No one supports his decision even his wife. However, he feels free when he gets on his bike.
- For a period, I went to Chelsea for an English class every Wednesday. When I went home through Piccadilly Underground Station, I always ran into two homeless, drawing. It is probable they did not choose to be homeless, but somehow it seems they found their inner peace at that moment.
- I met a bunch of tramps at the Charing Cross Underground Station. They were holding a Christmas party, and one of them wore Christmas hat. They were chatting and laughing and cheering the holiday. They enjoyed Christmas as anyone else.
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