Dream Is a Piece of Ham

This project originates from recurring dreams in which I am unable to photograph fleeting moments of intense beauty due to constant technical failure. The work shifts photography from recording reality to reflecting emotional and psychological states.

For the past three years, I’ve frequently had dreams where I encounter incredibly beautiful light and scenes that excite, delight, and satisfy me in the moment. Instinctively, I want to take out my phone or camera to capture the moment, but every time, various issues arise—my camera is broken, my phone screen is cracked, the phone won’t unlock, the battery is dead, the shutter button is malfunctioning, I forget to bring my camera, or the phone is not mine… In these dreams, my hands frantically fumble and rush, but it’s all in vain. Those beautiful scenes slip away before my eyes in a matter of seconds, followed by anxiety and disappointment.

Sartre said that human beings reveal themselves through the constant negation of their own consciousness, and that consciousness always responds in specific ways to certain scenes and relationships. In these dreams, I always recognize the external world, which holds immense attraction for me, and repeatedly try to connect with it through a tool or medium I believe to be effective. I, the world, and the tool/medium are drawn to each other, confirm each other, and struggle with one another. Over the past two years, these dreams have been like a mirror reflecting my sense of self-awareness, allowing me to constantly observe my desires and myself in reality.

This project isn’t about recording something visible to everyone. Instead, it reinterprets the workings of the subconscious, turning a simple, random moment into an emotionally reflective experience. It also acts as a focal point, extending from dreams to explore the emotions in daily life. By observing subconscious behaviors, even what seems absurd or unexpected begins to reveal their patterns and connections.