EMERGENCE (n.):
(i) the process of coming into view or becoming exposed after being concealed
(ii) the process of coming into being, or of becoming important or prominent
After turning twenty in February, I find myself caught in a liminal state–teenager or adult? I am currently neither; yet, I am also somehow both. Going to university, I was already someone on the fringe (a Canadian-born Chinese individual returning to Asia, a place of trials and tribulations). Being constantly bombarded with the questions (and pre-existing answers in the asker's mind), "Why return to Asia when you had life going for you in Canada? If I were you, I would so rather be in Canada or California than Singapore right now" and "Why do you do that? It's definitely not normal" prove living in Singapore has reinforced how difficult it is to look like a local and exhibit behaviours and attitudes deviating from the norm. Notions of how I should act, think, and feel become instantly prescribed with zero questions asked. Somehow, past cultural, social, and political experiences do not matter.
EMERGENCE, as an idea, embodies my process of staying afloat over sophomore year of university. There are several times I recall stumbling and dropping the ball. I can vividly remember escaping from two freak accidents–numbness and confusion have since taken over as coping mechanisms. There are times I have been lured into others' problems, resulting in conundrums I should never have been a part of. This is not to say this school year has only been bad. I have been reconnecting with extended family weekly. I make it a daily ritual to push myself out of my comfort zone. Over the past few months, I have also befriended some talented people outside of school, focused on my academic workload, and crafted an anthology of poems. I am so glad to have gotten past the last year of my teens; the angst has finally died. Now, I can focus on my career and personal fulfillment.
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Over the next few months, you will see a surge in blog posts. By the the end of next week, I will have been liberated from the shackles restraining my mind (aka. academic coursework). I hope to use the newfound creative freedom and energy over the summer to formulate new projects and share parts of my backlog of images.
I am also trying to figure out how to sell my printed photographs. The tab, "Prints," should begin to work in the near future, once I figure out the process on shipping orders. In the mean time, feel free to drop me a message via Facebook or email (me@dzhang.co) if you would like to get your hands on my photographs!
Thank you for your time. I hope you enjoy these installation shots from my exhibition, EMERGENCE.
