Title: Mom’s Eyes, My Eyes
Materials: Van Dyke Brown, Cyanotype.
Artwork Description: I grew up in my maternal grandmother’s home from a young age. In this household, my mother and I «stayed behind» [or «remained»], living together with my grandmother. We three generations of women supported each other. This old house, which we’ve lived in for over 20 years, spans my entire age. The «dilapidation» within the home is indeed pervasive. A leaky roof, peeling wall paint, worn-out doors and windows — it seemed as if the old house was naturally falling into disrepair, and I became accustomed to this way of life. The most characteristic features of the old house were its old-fashioned blue glass windows and dust-covered screens. Every time one tried to open or close a window, it required significant effort because the rusted frames would stick. Although the house was on the top floor, the natural light wasn’t very good; the blue glass always cast a cold and dim light throughout the home. However, it wasn’t always perceived negatively. When sunlight streamed through, bathing the room in blue light, my childhood self often imagined it as an underwater world. Combined with the humidity typical of the south, it felt as though everything became real.
Mom’s Eyes, My Eyes is divided into two small collections. I utilize the Cyanotype and Van Dyke Brown processes to simulate two distinct perspectives. «My Eyes» simulates my unique feeling towards home as viewed through the perspective of the blue glass, while «Mom’s Eyes» simulates my mother’s perspective. Through this, I hope to present the viewpoints and circumstances of women from different generations, engaging both sight and touch simultaneously through the use of fabric. This handmade photo book embodies the materiality of photography through classical techniques. Using Van Dyke Brown and Cyanotype as the primary methods, the works are presented on fabric. The book unfolds in a scroll format, engaging both the visual and tactile senses.
