Trail: A Subterranean Life by Tse Ngo Chun
Although I wouldn't label myself a contradictory socialist when discussing art practice, John Berger’s writings have been an enduring inspiration in shaping my thoughts on art, particularly photography. Berger once wrote, “It is possible that photography is the prophecy of a human memory yet to be socially and politically achieved.” This raises a crucial question: when we speak of "common ground" are we referring to sympathy, or is it empathy we seek?
In this trail, I explore these questions by capturing images that speak to homelessness, generational divides, refugee experiences, and even the aftermath of genocides. Through diverse works, these exhibitions navigate the complex layers of human suffering and resilience.
Anthony Luvera’s Families Living in Temporary Accommodation and Lynn Lee’s Renters - We Have No Voice shed light on the ongoing housing crisis in the UK, using their lenses to amplify the voices of those struggling for basic shelter. In James Kendall’s Wasted on the Young and Common Ground: A Youth’s Perspective, alongside Haneul Lee’s Boomers, the generational tensions and life experiences of youth and middle age are presented in all their complexity, revealing both hope and hardship.
Meanwhile, Alan Gignoux’s You Can See Me, But I Don’t Exist and Danielė Balsytėn’s The Silent Noise of Everything In Between move beyond traditional depictions of reality. These works do not attempt to capture "reality" in a conventional sense, but rather delve into the more profound, unspoken suffering that often goes unseen.
Probably image couldn’t do anything impactful directly, but image sometimes contains a power of a subterranean life.