What connects us? Rivers, bridges, minds, emotion, love, home—stories connect us. Humankind chose to live by the water a long time ago. 70% of the world’s population lives on coastal plains1, 11 of the 15 biggest cities stand on a coastline or river.
Water also cuts channels, creates boundaries, divides territories to reshape islands, cities, countries, continents. Rivers tear minerals from rock and add water to the oceans. These rivers are like the veins of a body, the branches of a tree, the vessels of the Earth.
“THESE RIVERS ARE LIKE THE VEINS OF A BODY, THE BRANCHES OF A TREE, THE VESSELS OF THE OF THE EARTH”
Agriculture was the first great revolution that turned our history on end and gave birth to cities and civilizations. Globalization made the migration of populations much easier. The internet makes communications much more convenient. Urbanization makes cities visually and culturally similar. Most people in my generation like the “nomadic” lifestyle. The new nomadic lifestyle, from neighborhood to neighborhood, from this side of a river to another, from this hemisphere of the earth to the other. How do we define home?
“I am far from home, but I am also far from here.” I remember hearing this once. People drift and move, just like water, physically and emotionally.
River Book I & II is a study of geographical boundaries presented as two bar-shaped hand drawn books. My research starts with the Yellow River in China, where my hometown is located, and includes other rivers that I’ve lived alongside — including those in Chongqing, Shanghai, and New York. The result is a mix of my history with marked scenery and landmarks of personal significance.
River Book I & II maps territories of both reality and my imagination. It is boundless, yet intimate. It is my story, but maybe in my story, you can recognize your own.
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