STILL LIFE
Written by Xiao Ming,
Mind Magazine
China
In this world, everything is interrelated and connected like a tangled net of fish, and within it, there are various fields, domains, and systems arranged in their own unique ways. There is a specific set of rules, concepts, and pathways to follow in order to understand the cosmos and the universe.
We all exist in the same world, but within it, countless individual worldviews coexist, either growing together or conflicting with each other.
Julia Sent spent her childhood in a world that most people were unfamiliar with, a world that many didn't even know existed. It was during the time of the vast Soviet Union, a time when a mysterious small town existed in Western Siberia. Being a precious and highly secretive pearl in the Soviet nuclear industry, one of the missions of this town was to remain undiscovered and impenetrable.
"Our town was heavily surrounded by barbed wire. Looking back now, those fences provided a fragile sense of psychological comfort in an unreliable and extremely dangerous environment."
Her father was a nuclear engineer, and her mother was a schoolteacher. For Julia, the union of these two souls was like a perfect example of how oil and water could harmoniously blend. In her childhood Soviet Union, as she put it, "the air was filled with surrealistic and unrealistic fantasies, with many cunning opportunists roaming the land." Her parents worked hard to protect the rights of their family's survival and well-being, providing a sense of security and assurance amidst a hostile atmosphere, even more reliable than the barbed wire surrounding the town.
"I didn't choose photography; it's a gene deeply embedded in my mind." To understand her words, one could look at her family background. Her great-grandfather served in the Tsar's army, and her grandfather, a senior engineer, had an interesting second identity: a photographer. During that era, being a photographer and achieving a certain standard in photography was the pursuit of passionate and impulsive individuals, considering the limitations of resources at that time. The only relevant publications that were allowed were photography magazines from Czechoslovakia. When she first saw the old photography albums, with their exquisite and impactful images, they had a profound effect on Julia, awakening her excitement and love for visual art. Since then, she became part of upholding the "family tradition."
"My father's scientific knowledge, passion for photography and classical music, along with my mother's sharing of heartwarming art, two completely different worlds, shaped my life."
Apart from photography, a cool and analytical nature was undoubtedly inherited . Julia believed that knowledge was the way to "reject mediocrity," hoping and striving to be unique. However, in the context of that time, such ideas seemed dangerous and hardly accepted. She couldn't freely express her thoughts, constantly worrying about standing out too much and not being able to freely present her viewpoints. For most people, life was like following a precise recipe, determining how much salt to add, the cooking time, and whether they could express themselves freely. There were guidelines for every aspect of behavior and life. Ideal and reality, it's like the collision of two parallel worlds.
Painting and literature are very important and significant, but she understands that more practical Physics is the suitable choice in the overall Soviet atmosphere. Excelling in this field wouldn't bring her trouble and would provide the necessary support for her path ahead. Physics shaped her understanding of the world.
Regardless of economics or freedom, she stood at the crossroads of the next turning point. This "different from others" confidence was not just talk; she excelled in physics and earned a master's degree in the subject.
"Those years were extremely boring, filled with political propaganda and scientific lectures. But I wouldn't say it was a wrong decision; it paved the way for me to encounter wonderful things and provided assistance."
"Still Life" is Julia's most beloved series, and it's evident that she constantly focuses on the various details surrounding "life." Even for the most familiar and well-known objects, each observation brings new insights as if seeing them for the first time. These moments of realization are wonderfully delightful. Everyday objects are related to people's existence, habits, and preferences but are often overlooked. Viewing her still life photographs is like receiving an invitation for viewers to slow down, examine, and cherish the ordinary truths around them.
Slowing down, looking at her trajectory, the road gradually led to a turning point.
She walked into the the most serious nuclear accident in human history. That was experience that gave her significant and profound view on human existence.
Julia found the way to move to Canada, where photography became her unique language of expression, representing her passion to be pursued throughout her life.
The two parallel worlds that were once divided started to blend gradually, just like oil and water, just like her father and mother.
A Spanish proverb says, "Dime con quien andas y te diré quien eres," which is similar to an old Chinese saying: "Observe someone's outward appearance to know their inner self; observe their friends to know the person."
How can one observe a person's personality and background? It can be carefully analyzed from their words, actions, social interactions, and even the objects they choose to wear and use. For her, "Still Life" is also a kind of character portrait, expressing personality through imagery, revealing hidden abilities, preferences, desires, and taste. People often fail to realize that the things around them and the objects they choose actually reflect their individual existence, like fragments of a mirror, assembling together the complete picture bit by bit.
Examining "Still Life" closely, it feels as if one can sense the taste of "once in a lifetime" (L15二 1 元). Julia's photos create a serene scene, and perfection or imperfection does not hinder our appreciation of its beauty. It may disappear in a fleeting moment, like a constantly rotating kaleidoscope, where each element is so scattered and even abstract, but does it really matter? The glimpse that flashed through the mind has been frozen because of its transience and irreproducibility, making it cherished and precious.
Within the stillness, everything will eventually change in the next moment.
_____________________________________________
Sections
STILL LIFE
Written by Xiao Ming,
Mind Magazine
China
In this world, everything is interrelated and connected like a tangled net of fish, and within it, there are various fields, domains, and systems arranged in their own unique ways. There is a specific set of rules, concepts, and pathways to follow in order to understand the cosmos and the universe.
We all exist in the same world, but within it, countless individual worldviews coexist, either growing together or conflicting with each other.
Julia Sent spent her childhood in a world that most people were unfamiliar with, a world that many didn't even know existed. It was during the time of the vast Soviet Union, a time when a mysterious small town existed in Western Siberia. Being a precious and highly secretive pearl in the Soviet nuclear industry, one of the missions of this town was to remain undiscovered and impenetrable.
"Our town was heavily surrounded by barbed wire. Looking back now, those fences provided a fragile sense of psychological comfort in an unreliable and extremely dangerous environment."
Her father was a nuclear engineer, and her mother was a schoolteacher. For Julia, the union of these two souls was like a perfect example of how oil and water could harmoniously blend. In her childhood Soviet Union, as she put it, "the air was filled with surrealistic and unrealistic fantasies, with many cunning opportunists roaming the land." Her parents worked hard to protect the rights of their family's survival and well-being, providing a sense of security and assurance amidst a hostile atmosphere, even more reliable than the barbed wire surrounding the town.
"I didn't choose photography; it's a gene deeply embedded in my mind." To understand her words, one could look at her family background. Her great-grandfather served in the Tsar's army, and her grandfather, a senior engineer, had an interesting second identity: a photographer. During that era, being a photographer and achieving a certain standard in photography was the pursuit of passionate and impulsive individuals, considering the limitations of resources at that time. The only relevant publications that were allowed were photography magazines from Czechoslovakia. When she first saw the old photography albums, with their exquisite and impactful images, they had a profound effect on Julia, awakening her excitement and love for visual art. Since then, she became part of upholding the "family tradition."
"My father's scientific knowledge, passion for photography and classical music, along with my mother's sharing of heartwarming art, two completely different worlds, shaped my life."
Apart from photography, a cool and analytical nature was undoubtedly inherited . Julia believed that knowledge was the way to "reject mediocrity," hoping and striving to be unique. However, in the context of that time, such ideas seemed dangerous and hardly accepted. She couldn't freely express her thoughts, constantly worrying about standing out too much and not being able to freely present her viewpoints. For most people, life was like following a precise recipe, determining how much salt to add, the cooking time, and whether they could express themselves freely. There were guidelines for every aspect of behavior and life. Ideal and reality, it's like the collision of two parallel worlds.
Painting and literature are very important and significant, but she understands that more practical Physics is the suitable choice in the overall Soviet atmosphere. Excelling in this field wouldn't bring her trouble and would provide the necessary support for her path ahead. Physics shaped her understanding of the world.
Regardless of economics or freedom, she stood at the crossroads of the next turning point. This "different from others" confidence was not just talk; she excelled in physics and earned a master's degree in the subject.
"Those years were extremely boring, filled with political propaganda and scientific lectures. But I wouldn't say it was a wrong decision; it paved the way for me to encounter wonderful things and provided assistance."
"Still Life" is Julia's most beloved series, and it's evident that she constantly focuses on the various details surrounding "life." Even for the most familiar and well-known objects, each observation brings new insights as if seeing them for the first time. These moments of realization are wonderfully delightful. Everyday objects are related to people's existence, habits, and preferences but are often overlooked. Viewing her still life photographs is like receiving an invitation for viewers to slow down, examine, and cherish the ordinary truths around them.
Slowing down, looking at her trajectory, the road gradually led to a turning point.
She walked into the the most serious nuclear accident in human history. That was experience that gave her significant and profound view on human existence.
Julia found the way to move to Canada, where photography became her unique language of expression, representing her passion to be pursued throughout her life.
The two parallel worlds that were once divided started to blend gradually, just like oil and water, just like her father and mother.
A Spanish proverb says, "Dime con quien andas y te diré quien eres," which is similar to an old Chinese saying: "Observe someone's outward appearance to know their inner self; observe their friends to know the person."
How can one observe a person's personality and background? It can be carefully analyzed from their words, actions, social interactions, and even the objects they choose to wear and use. For her, "Still Life" is also a kind of character portrait, expressing personality through imagery, revealing hidden abilities, preferences, desires, and taste. People often fail to realize that the things around them and the objects they choose actually reflect their individual existence, like fragments of a mirror, assembling together the complete picture bit by bit.
Examining "Still Life" closely, it feels as if one can sense the taste of "once in a lifetime" (L15二 1 元). Julia's photos create a serene scene, and perfection or imperfection does not hinder our appreciation of its beauty. It may disappear in a fleeting moment, like a constantly rotating kaleidoscope, where each element is so scattered and even abstract, but does it really matter? The glimpse that flashed through the mind has been frozen because of its transience and irreproducibility, making it cherished and precious.
Within the stillness, everything will eventually change in the next moment.
_____________________________________________
Sections