Artist Zhou Yujie

Panoptic Segmentation

The linguistic variations in photographic definitions across cultures and languages have prompted me to question the underlying reasons and mechanisms behind this phenomenon. In Latin, the term photography is associated with the act of “drawing with light,” while in Chinese, the term refers to “capturing the shadow.” This divergence leads us to ask: why does the Chinese understanding of photography carry a shadowy connotation? Shadows, by definition, represent the regions where light is obstructed or prohibited from passing through. These shadows are, in essence, mere projections of light, and not actual objects. To me, the use of shadow in Chinese photography signifies a desire to explore the concealed, disregarded, and marginalized aspects of our reality. By shifting our focus toward the shadows, we can uncover sources of hope, light, and resilience that persist despite the suppressive forces of power and authority. Thus, I have chosen to embrace the Chinese interpretation of photography and use shadow as a tool to tackle the invisible. In Saari residency, I will be working on the experimentation of photography, and a related video piece to explore the concept of shadow in photography, as a developed work from the series “Panoptic Segmentation” I have been working on focusing on censorship and minority voice. I will be also experimenting with performance based on the notion of language, and exploring the illegible writing and invisible language by performance in the residency environment.