Perseus Runde Yang

       Grew up in Beijing, I have experienced numerous forms of art. From zigzagging Hutongs to the grand historical sites such as the Forbidden city and the Great Wall, eventually to burgeoning forms of oppressed Avant-guard art. Even if all my encounters with those amazing artworks were more or less unconscious, those fantasies left a deep mark on my understanding of the world and the society. I often joke with my friends about this "BeijingWay". This unconstrained "Beijing way" gave me an unique perspective to think and act, finding consistency in divisions, being persistent on what I believe to be the truth and being creative as much as possible

        I have always shared this desire of creativity. Throughout the almost two decades of my life, I always wanted to create something. Be it a sculpture carved out of erasers, a surreal oil painting, an AI research paper or some software products. I wish to leave a mark by the act of creating and thus I can claim, not without some proud, that these things belong to me. The same goes for art, I hope to record my thinking, my perspective and countless moments of incredible beauty through the camera lens. This kind of enthusiasm is similar to Chinese generals in the ancient times, maybe these of Tang Dynasty. As they serve the country and perform their duties to fulfill the secular ambitions, they also write poems as a medium of self-expression. Such examples are Li Bai and Wang Anshi. Beautifully written lines are forever remembered by the offspring alongside their laudable achievements.I also hope to have artistic expressions and claims of ownership as I proceed in the pursuit of my goals.

         Then why photography? Of course, there is always a story to tell. Many years ago, I took a trip to Kyoto, Japan with my close friends.We were lucky enough to be there for the mountain festival, in which people welcome the coming of gods and part with the lost family members. It was a raining night and we each had a whole bottle of sake in a restaurant near Sanjo. With no umbrella, we headed to 八坂神社, a shrine that leads to the top of the Kyoto mountain. Being a lover of the rain, the gentle sound of the raindrops was the most peaceful backdrop I have ever heard during the trip. As we proceed into the mountains, we reach a graveyard on the back of the mountain. It was decorated with thousands of lanterns. So the festival was called 万灯会. Inside the rain and accompanied by the lanterns, the graveyard was in no way fearsome. Instead, it felt extremely peaceful and reassuring. Thus, we ventured into the grave yard with not a single thread of concern. There was a woman walking by herself with an umbrella. She walked past us and was heading towards the top of the mountain and soon disappeared into the mist. She was there to memorize lost relatives some where in the graveyard.

         We traversed through the muddy paths surrounded by warm yellow lantern beams. As I looked down,I saw the entirety of Kyoto through the mysterious mist. I was totally amazed by such sight as if the graveyard itself is the gateway to some Japanese heaven. The beauty constructed by all the elements, the wind, the mist, the rain, the lanterns, felt coincidental. The only word I can think of for what I have seen is “serendipity”. I was greedy to such an extent that I not only want this scene in my memory, but also want to own it, I thought of photography. I urgently hoped to record every single detail of the night. However, my phone and my skill failed me. The only gifts I got from that night was some murky pictures taken by chance. Then the second day, I bought my first DSLR and in this way started my journey to pursue the stunning coincidences and to collect serendipity.

        That night, we stopped in front of Kodaji Temple(高台寺) built for Oda Nobunaga, I saw the calligraphy character for dream(梦), through a window of raindrops, it was indeed a dream.

          Oda Nobunaga says, “人間五十年、下天のうちを比ぶれば夢幻、思へばこの世は常の住み家にあらず。草葉に置く白露、水に宿る月よりなほあやし”. Indeed, in a world of uncertainty and impermanence, photography stages some eternity. I have no more wish than to capture some meaningful moments for myself, and hopefully, for other people as well.