minny lee

Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Italy Oct 20, 2009

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:51:00 -0400

Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Italy

Oct 20, 2009

From the sky April 8, 2012 From the sky, human existence was...

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:23:00 -0400

From the sky

April 8, 2012

From the sky, human existence was barely recognizable yet we control the earth, flying all over the world, roads and bridges connecting everywhere, and there I was as any others on the airplane, stuck in my seat — about 12 square inch — reading, writing, eating, sleeping, and looking out. I am with fifty others yet totally alone in self-made confinement of space.

Salton Sea, CA April 7, 2012 A sea made accidentally by human...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:12:59 -0400

Salton Sea, CA
April 7, 2012

A sea made accidentally by human being’s modification of nature and nature’s own uncontrollable force sits rather peacefully below sea level. There is no way of exiting water from here. Water flows in but doesn’t flow out which increases level of sodium in the sea. Only left kind of fish is Tilapia.

The seashore is like a cemetery to fishes who came in here as if following a fateful path of life. Skulls and dried out bodies lay as if they are part of the land. Smells awful as one approaches to the sea.

When the sun came down and the world became more monotonous and quiet from daily noise, the Salton Sea exhibited its quiet charm. Despite the complex history, for the moment, I paid respect to the resilience of nature.

Joshua Tree Park, CA April 5, 2012 I only got to see glimpse of...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:06:19 -0400

Joshua Tree Park, CA
April 5, 2012

I only got to see glimpse of the place but it surely exhibited its grand scale and somewhat mysterious stories hidden all over. More to explore next time with days of staying. As I was leaving the place, large and clear moon came out. Never seen such a clear moon.

Afternoon tea, so calming March 9, 2012 100 flowers tea from...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:58:19 -0500

Afternoon tea, so calming
March 9, 2012

100 flowers tea from Jiri Mountain in South Korea given to me by a museum director in BukChon, Seoul. Flowers picked by her friend’s hands, deep deep in the Jiri mountain.

Trees at Jardin des Plantes Paris Feb 24, 2012

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:54:30 -0500

Trees at Jardin des Plantes
Paris

Feb 24, 2012

Sunset near Banyuls (French-Spanish border) Feb 23, 2012

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:16:19 -0500

Sunset near Banyuls (French-Spanish border)

Feb 23, 2012

Morning sunlight Jan 27, 2012

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:21:00 -0500

Morning sunlight

Jan 27, 2012

Afternoon sun Waikiki beach Honolulu, Hawaii

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:34:14 -0500

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

Afternoon sun
Waikiki beach
Honolulu, Hawaii

portrait photography

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:05:18 -0500

“The portrait photography is a closed field of forces. Four image-repertoires intersect here, oppose and distort each other. In front of the lens, I am at the same time: the one I think I am, the one I want others think I am, the one the photographer thinks I am, and the one he makes use of to exhibit his art. In other words, a strange action: I do not stop imitating myself, and because of this, each time I am (or let myself be) photographed, I invariably suffer from a sensation of inauthenticity, sometimes of imposture (comparable to certain nightmares). In terms of image-repertoire, the Photograph (the one I intend) represents that very subtle moment when, to tell the truth, I am neither subject nor object but a subject who feels he is becoming an object: I then experience a micro-version of death (of parenthesis): I am truly becoming a specter.” - from Roland Barthes “Camera Lucida”

Are we all creating something other than subject itself when we photograph a person? Human beings have complex minds and it would be foolish to try for a portrait that represents the person in totality. Someone once said that even there is a discrepancy, there still exist some truth in a photograph.

Beginning of this year, I started photographing myself — a long avoided subject. To put myself in front of a camera was not as nerve braking as putting someone else in front of my camera. I understand now why someone gave me advice to photograph myself first before photographing others when I told him that I was afraid of photographing others.

In front of the camera, I am a subject and behind of the camera, I am a photographer. So the distance between subject and photographer is limited one. Still there is no definite truth or authenticity of acting for my part whether I am a subject or a photographer. I don’t seek out to photograph myself in physical resemblance nor trying to represent myself in any ways. Perhaps what I am trying to do is creating another reality that could be from my memories or dreams.

I don’t believe in truth or authenticity in photography. Everything is altered when a photographer click the button on a camera. The frame contains what the photographer crops out from the reality and depends on context of how the photograph is shown, it has an unlimited possibility of manipulations.

Both subject and photographer are in constant acting. Sometimes little bit of truth come out during the process. Subject and photographer exist in different reality for the moment while photographing. Both subject and photographer has own idea and agenda for what they are portraying and expecting from each other.

What is then the meaning of a portrait? It could be a reality and representation of both subject’s and photographer’s respective conscious and subconscious acts. When unexpected variables enter into this acts, it makes portrait more interesting and ambiguous. This contingency of real could be what some photographers aspired after.

The Nature of Desire

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:19:00 -0500

I had 20 minutes to spare today and decided to stop by at ICP library. As I was about to research books to look at, my eyes fell on this book on the bottom shelf. It was Duane Michals’ The Nature of Desire, first published by Twelvetrees Press in 1986.

Black and white images are accompanied by Duane Michals’ poems in hand writing. What a treat to looking through this book! Neither photography nor poetry interfere each other. They work together as if they were meant for each other. Duane Michals’ poems are so beautiful; I had to make photocopies. When writing feels perfect, there’s no need to add anything and no need to take away anything.

Very beginning of the book starts with this:

OUR LIVES ARE THE SUM TOTAL OF OUR EXPERIENCES. BUT IF I HAVE NEVER RESTED MY HEAD ON YOUR CHEST AND HEARD YOUR HEART BEAT FASTER AS I TOUCHED YOU, OR NEVER FELT YOUR WARM BREATH ON MY NECK, OR NEVER SAW YOU GROW OUT FROM MY HIPS LIKE A BRANCH FROM A TREE TRUNK, THEN HOW CAN I SAY THAT I HAVE EVER TRULY LIVED?

Inside, I love this poem he wrote:

LIGHT TOUCH

The memory of your body

Still lingers on my fingertips,

And when I touch them to my lips,

I kiss you once again.

How dear the dreams

I dream of you,

My melancholy treasure.

I love this one too.

We were the sea,

I, the water, you, the waves

Now, I live in a joy of memories

Happy, just to know

That somewhere, you are reading these words

Holding this book.

Towards the back, he wrote:

ALL THINGS MELLOW IN THE MIND.

A SLEIGHT OF HAND, A TRICK OF TIME.

AND EVEN OUR GREAT LOVE WILL FADE.

SOON WE’LL BE STRANGERS IN THE GRAVE.

THAT’S WHY THIS MOMENT IS SO DEAR.

I KISS YOUR LIPS, AND WE ARE HERE.

SO LET’S HOLD TIGHT, AND TOUGH AND FEEL.

FOR THIS QUICK INSTANT, WE ARE REAL.