616 | PhMuseum

Over the past two years, I have documented each of our wild fruit foraging trips and invited him to photograph his own daily life, transforming the project into a shared visual dialogue that gradually became a journey of reconciliation between us.

My father was once a forest police officer and later served as the director of the Heizhugou Police Station before transferring to the Criminal Investigation Unit. His work has always unfolded deep in the mountains. Most of my childhood holidays were spent at the 616 Forest Farm in Heizhugou. In my memory, 616 was a “home” — a place that witnessed the subtle shifts and transformations in my relationship with my father.

As a child, my father was a strictand reserved figure, and our relationship revolved more around his supervision of my studies rather than emotional companionship. As I grew older, our connection gradually diminished. However, in 2022, I returned to the 616 Forest Farm, and this trip prompted me to re-assess my relationship with him. This photography project was inspired by a small moment during my 2022 visit. One morning, my father got up early to take a walk in the mountains and gather wild fruits. When he returned, he gave me some freshly-picked fruits. This seemingly ordinary gesture touched a chord in our relationship and became the starting point for my reflection on our bond.

When I decided to document my father through photography, the project unintentionally became an opportunity for us to rebuild our relationship. At first, my father was uncooperative and even a bit resistant. However, through repeated visits, increasing communication, and his natural interest in photography, we developed a new mode of interaction through visual storytelling. During each visit, I would give him a disposable film camera to capture his daily life. This "collaboration" not only brought us closer but also allowed me to re-assess my personal experiences from the family’s of perspective. I sought to explore the emotional connection between me and my father, especially in the context of my personal challenges, including changes in my marriage, struggles with self-identity, and professional hurdles. These shifts in our relationship influenced me deeply. During subsequent wild fruit foraging trips, we had numerous discussions about my life, and these complex emotions became an integral part of the narrative within my work.

Ultimately, this project turned into a "journey of reconciliation" between my father and me, offering me new insights into familial bonds and personal growth. Through the power of imagery, I hope to share these heartfelt moments with the audience and evoke reflections on intimate relationships and memories.