Interview about Nirvana World Photography, winner of the A' Photography and Photo Manipulation Design Award 2022
Nirvana is a Buddhist term for the transcendence of life and death, which can also be understood as rebirth. It is invisible, but you can feel it, it is both static and dynamic, it is frozen in the moment of rebirth. The work uses photography to express the concept of nirvana nirvana, using the transition between ice and water, together with unreal colors to express the concept of nirvana. Visually, the abstract concept is expressed in the style of Chinese ink painting, which brings people's thoughts into the world of nirvana through the unknown, unreal and moving visual images.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsNirvana is an abstract concept — both tangible and intangible. It can be seen as transcendence beyond life and death, or as a state of rebirth. Initially, I considered using fire to represent this idea, but the resulting images felt too literal. Then, by chance, I was inspired by the textures of ice. I realized that the transformation between ice and water perfectly mirrors the notion of Nirvana: two states of the same substance, constantly shifting.In the instant when water freezes, it holds a tension between material and immaterial, falling and rising, bursting and stillness — that frozen transition, to me, is the moment of Nirvana. To enrich the imagery, I introduced color and used macro photography to capture ice and water infused with pigments. The refraction of light created abstract formations that were endlessly varied, rich in detail, and open to interpretation. In post-production, I adjusted the color saturation slightly to enhance this expressive depth.
Yes, when pigments melt and drift in water, they naturally evoke the mood of Chinese ink painting. That sense of misty abstraction felt perfectly suited to the theme of Nirvana. The use of negative space and the expressive spontaneity of ink-splashing techniques inspired me deeply — except this time, the “brushwork” unfolded in water.
It was indeed a challenging process. The interplay of water, ice, color, and light is nearly impossible to control, and the condensation from melting ice on the glass surface added further complications. I had to experiment constantly with different settings and take hundreds of photos, selecting from them the few that captured the essence of transformation. The degree of melting, the position of the ice in the water, and the shape of each piece all produced distinct textures. Ultimately, there was no fixed method — success depended on instinct and timing.
It was primarily an intuitive, emotional exploration. When dealing with abstract concepts, the goal is not literal depiction but resonance — to evoke something that the viewer can feel. Abstraction may appear formless, yet I believe its essence still carries shape within the mind.
Macro photography excels in revealing subtle details and shifts of light that escape the naked eye. It allows me to construct an atmosphere while giving viewers space to appreciate the delicate nuances within the frame — those details are what connect the image to its deeper theme.
The balance lies in managing focus and blur. When everything in the image is sharply defined, imagination disappears. Controlling depth and softness creates the ambiguity necessary for expressing abstraction and spirit.
A larger format delivers a stronger, more immersive presence — I wanted the image to feel like a window through which viewers could experience a direct visual encounter. Interestingly, when I tried smaller 10cm prints, they encouraged viewers to move closer, creating a different kind of intimacy.
Yes, I experimented with various lighting setups — natural light, white light, and colored sources. Light is the true sculptor of visual form. The glass container made it easy to illuminate the subject from multiple angles, which was essential to achieving that floating, ethereal atmosphere.
It is never easy to express the intangible through physical form. The key lies in selecting shapes and colors that awaken a shared sense of the concept. The frozen textures, the play of light and shadow — all of these served one purpose: to give visible presence to an unseen spirit, while maintaining its quiet mystery.
This theme continues to fascinate me. I am deeply drawn to the microscopic world. As a Buddhist saying goes, “One flower, one world.” With sensitivity and reflection, one can perceive the reality — or unreality — of existence in every corner of life.
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