Archive for October 6th, 2010
The Well of Tasty Spring
The Well of Tasty Spring, Changzhou 2010
Yes, this well is called The Well of Tasty Spring. It is located in the middle of Dong Po Park, a small park that is comprised of two small islands near the centre of Changzhou. The park is named after a famous Chinese poet, Su Shi/Su DongPo, who lived a thousand years ago and used to visit this city and stay on these islands which also served as the palace grounds for local nobility. Today, a few ruins, such as this well stone, mark the fact that people gathered together to enjoy art, music and poetry a thousand years ago.
Of course, as I wander through the landscape of this city in China, I am kept busy with my camera recording as much as I can of the things that catch my eye. I use the excuse that I am interested in foreign cultures. But, that is the cover story. Each of these things that catch my eye, each of the individual “others” that catch my eye are connected to me in an unconscious manner. Each has a meaning that has been noted though my consciousness is not aware of the reasons.
How do I know this? Why do certain things catch my eye? Why only certain buildings, aspects of buildings, or certain plants, flowers or bugs? Why one person and not the tens and hundreds of thousands of other people? If I am simply recording what is seen, I would hardly have time to eat. So, perhaps it is about making choices to be representative of the larger culture? I would agree with that if I had a plan and took photos accordingly. No, I take photos that call to me out of the corner of my eye. For me, each photo is a magical gift that beckons me to enter and discover something wondrous.
Each photo is an invitation to enter into my own unknown regions found somewhere within an inner universe. Every once in a while I respond to the call and being to learn, yet again, something about the mystery of who I am. It is as though each photo becomes a well which will nourish my soul, will give birth to light out of the depths of the wellsprings hidden in darkness.
And so, I journey into the shadow lands armed only with my camera in search of more of these “wells of tasty spring,” wells of rebirth, rejuvenation and remembrance.
