Shipping Tangerines: A glimpse into Cantonese
Every language is unique in its own way. Shipping Tangerines: A glimpse into Cantonese is a photo series that celebrates my language and pays homage to its bizarre, humorous and crazy sayings. Many of these phrases steam from traditional Chinese proverbs, which are often integrated into the daily lives of every Hong Konger. This series highlights the admiration I have for my mother tongue, a language that I believe will slowly fade away.
As a child, I would often hear my family use these sayings to teach us lessons; as if the language itself is a fun game. This photographic series is not only a reflection of my appreciation of Cantonese, but a glimpse into my childhood and upbringing. By using candies, paper airplanes and toys, it reflects the things I grew up with, the cultural aspects of my family and how it shaped the way I communicate today. Cantonese is known as one of the more challenging languages for English speakers to learn, I believe this series acts as a fun introduction for the audience to my language. Each photograph shines light on one individual saying in Cantonese, visually representing the direct translation of a single saying. These photographs showcase the crazy ideas and strange items used to describe sometimes serious and or useful sayings, reflecting the quirky nature of how people communicate in my city. Shipping Tangerines: A glimpse into Cantonese is a playful self-reflection and self-appreciation of my heritage.
