Monthly Archives: July 2011

H2O, a big wheel and small bike, 水、大轮、小车

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H2O

Isn’t it nice to start a day with morning dews? 开始新一天的工作前,在阳台发发小呆,感受清晨的阳光,然后发现露珠。真好。

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this blue, that blue 此蓝非彼蓝

Is a woman with blue lips and blue hair an avant-garde modernist? To some, she is not. To people like my mother, she is very much so. I could hear my mother scream in fear and anger if she were … Continue reading

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romance on the street 街头的浪漫

I found this image while digging some folders of images from a 2009 trip to Scotland. 09年,苏格兰爱丁堡街头的浪漫。 More street snapshots here: “Scotland – street scenes – Images by xiaomei chen

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Snaps from DC metro 华盛顿地铁

(English text below Chinese) 今日从纽约回到华盛顿。在华盛顿“中国城”的星巴克和地铁站看到不少藏族佛教喇嘛。这几天他们在向一个伟人学习和平。他们面目友善,有几个还和我聊天。我告诉他们我是汉族人,喜欢、尊敬西藏和西藏文化,曾四次进藏。他们冲我笑。那笑,和我记忆中藏族人的笑是一样的……图二是在地铁里往外拍的。 I came across a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks at DC Chinatown’s Starbuck, then at the Metro station. They were very friendly. Some even talked to me. I told them I had been to Tibet … Continue reading

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Second step came to a halt 第二步嘎然而止

(English text below the Chinese one.) 为以防万一,我提前一个小时到华盛顿西北区房子失火处。一到就发现921号房子的门已开。一个男子在房前扫地。他是屋主的弟弟,来自厄瓜多尔。我说明来意,他很热情地让我进屋拍照。 十一点,我从漆黑的地下室出来,准备上楼继续拍,一个男人的硕大剪影直逼过来。我装着若无其事,说,“咳,你好。” 那人带着怒气责问:“你是谁?你怎么在这里?” 我简单重复了我的火灾项目,并告诉他屋主的弟弟允许我在里头拍照。 当我出门向刚到的屋主问候,再次说明来意,他们点头表示认可,并说不介意我在他们家拍照。 既然主人都同意了,我就耐心等着再进去拍。无聊那个硕大的不友好男人发话了:“你不能进取,不能拍照!” “请问你是谁?”我忍不住问。 “我为他们(屋主)工作,是他们的代理。” 我看看屋主。屋主看看那个硕大的代理,然后说,“既然他说不可以,那就不可以吧。” …… 我向代理要了名片,又给他一张自己的名片,说:“你可以到我的网站看我的作品,包括关于火灾的作品,你会发现,我没有坏的企图。如果你改变主意,请你和联系。” “我是绝不会改变主意的。”那人冷冷地说。 然后,他回头用对屋主说,“我们要…….这都是很单调的事情,你不必呆在这儿看。当然,如果你想留下来也可以。” 我心想,嗯,这家伙想主宰这房里的一切,不希望主人有任何干涉和建议。我希望屋主不要随便接受人家的摆布。 这时,屋主十六岁的儿子说:“我还是想留下来看看。也许你们可以教教我。” 我希望这年青是精明而警惕的。 ……. 离开时,我安慰自己:幸亏早来了一个小时,否则连一张图片都拍不到…… 这组图片,除了头几张利用现有的光线——从门进去的光线,其余的图片都靠一个微小的手电筒。这算不算不诚实呢?好好想了想,认为自己还是诚实的,因为地下室里一片漆黑,任何人去那儿都必须靠手电筒,我只是拍了通过手电筒的光看到的东西。 I am quite a nervous person. Each time I do something I care a lot, … Continue reading

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finally take a second step 终于挪出第二步

(注:中文在英文下面) Not long after I moved back to DC, I contacted several fire departments in the area and explained to them my fire project, hoping they would help me gain access for my fire project. They sounded quite understanding and … Continue reading

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sound of new york 纽约之音

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sound of nyc 上周在纽约,天天被各种噪音包围,睡觉不安稳,时时刻刻都犯困。有点恼怒。就借了朋友的录音机,收集了许多噪音,今天把他们合成在一起。目的就是让你们也体会一下国际都市的声音污染。抱歉。。。作为补偿,在博文末尾给一个《渔樵问答》的连谏,安抚一下你们听完噪音后的烦躁情绪。 After listening many times to the recordings of the noises I collected in New York last week, I was too overwhelmed not to escape from my laptop. I sat at the porch for almost two hours … Continue reading

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Maria, the philosopher

Untitled from xiaomei chen on Vimeo. (注:中文在英文下面) My Romanian roommate Maria Dimitriu and I like to go for a walk around the lake near our house, usually in the early evening. The other day, on our way home from the … Continue reading

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My niece says 童言无忌

(中文在英文下面) I woke up and saw an email my sister sent me. The email, which records some dialogues between my four-year-old niece, Tongtong and her parents, makes my day! June 22 Dad: Tongtong, why didn’t you invite Daddy to play … Continue reading

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