My obsession with chairs/seats grew since I captured an image of a wooden bench four years ago.
I love how one look at any seat and you can tell how it’s gonna make you feel. So, I personified them and imagined backstory for them over the years.
The phrase “人生本来就是一连串的等待” was taken from the movie The Terminal’s tagline “Life Is Waiting”.
We’re constantly waiting for one thing and then another, sometimes more than one thing at a time. You wait to grow up, wait for your kids to visit, wait for the train to come, and then when you’re finally on the train, you wait for the destination to arrive.
等情人回家
“Waiting for lover to come home.”
Shot this through a storefront window in Penang in 2016. The evening sunlight and the Chinese sign in the background make it feel as though this bench belongs to a train station in an old, forgotten era where everything is slow and there’s a lot of uncertainty of the whereabouts and well‑being of your loved ones.
“Waiting for lover to come home.”
Shot this through a storefront window in Penang in 2016. The evening sunlight and the Chinese sign in the background make it feel as though this bench belongs to a train station in an old, forgotten era where everything is slow and there’s a lot of uncertainty of the whereabouts and well‑being of your loved ones.
等一个漫长的讨论有个结论
“Waiting for this long discussion to reach a conclusion.”
Took this in Bean Brothers in 2016. The mismatched chairs look like they’re different people gathered together for a discussion. And it’s going on and on because there are so many differing opinions.
“Waiting for this long discussion to reach a conclusion.”
Took this in Bean Brothers in 2016. The mismatched chairs look like they’re different people gathered together for a discussion. And it’s going on and on because there are so many differing opinions.
等老是说拐个弯就到的老李
”Waiting for our old friend Mr. Lee who always says that he’s on his way.”
I took this in our hostel in Bangkok in 2016. The three chairs felt like they’re in a casual conversation, while a fourth chair is missing. Where are you, Mr. Lee?
”Waiting for our old friend Mr. Lee who always says that he’s on his way.”
I took this in our hostel in Bangkok in 2016. The three chairs felt like they’re in a casual conversation, while a fourth chair is missing. Where are you, Mr. Lee?
等世界安好，我们又能再次出发
“Waiting for the world to get better so that we can set off once again.”
I took this in an airport in China in 2016 but only published it this year. The upward‑facing seats look hopeful and airports usually mark the start of new beginnings and possibilities. It felt appropriate after a year‑long of pandemic and country lockdowns.
“Waiting for the world to get better so that we can set off once again.”
I took this in an airport in China in 2016 but only published it this year. The upward‑facing seats look hopeful and airports usually mark the start of new beginnings and possibilities. It felt appropriate after a year‑long of pandemic and country lockdowns.
等真相大白
“Waiting for the truth to be revealed.”
This was taken in a cafe in 2017. It’s a play of words in Mandarin because the phrase “revealing truth” has a character that also means “white”. The chair looks a bit tense in this close up, as though some kind of devastating truth is about to be told and the chair is bracing itself.
“Waiting for the truth to be revealed.”
This was taken in a cafe in 2017. It’s a play of words in Mandarin because the phrase “revealing truth” has a character that also means “white”. The chair looks a bit tense in this close up, as though some kind of devastating truth is about to be told and the chair is bracing itself.
等一个机缘巧合
“Waiting for a coincidence.”
This was taken from the outdoor seating of a restaurant in Chicago in 2018. I was having lunch alone and the sunlight hit this chair just right. It felt like this chair was alone too and with pedestrians passing by, it was waiting to come across a friendly stranger or a familiar face by chance.
“Waiting for a coincidence.”
This was taken from the outdoor seating of a restaurant in Chicago in 2018. I was having lunch alone and the sunlight hit this chair just right. It felt like this chair was alone too and with pedestrians passing by, it was waiting to come across a friendly stranger or a familiar face by chance.
等老婆逛完街
“Waiting for my wife to finish shopping.”
This was taken in Las Vegas in 2018 when I was waiting for my friends to pick me up. I was just out from an Apple store and this chair looked like one of those benches you see in shopping malls that are usually occupied by men waiting for their wives/girlfriends to shop.
“Waiting for my wife to finish shopping.”
This was taken in Las Vegas in 2018 when I was waiting for my friends to pick me up. I was just out from an Apple store and this chair looked like one of those benches you see in shopping malls that are usually occupied by men waiting for their wives/girlfriends to shop.
等出去
”Waiting to go out.”
This was taken in Furnace Creek visitor center in Death Valley in 2018. It feels fitting when the world was shut down due to the virus earlier this year, just like these seats that are placed next to the window, it’s next to the open world but unable to see anything outside.
”Waiting to go out.”
This was taken in Furnace Creek visitor center in Death Valley in 2018. It feels fitting when the world was shut down due to the virus earlier this year, just like these seats that are placed next to the window, it’s next to the open world but unable to see anything outside.
等说要跟我一起环游世界说了半辈子的老李兑现承诺
“Waiting for old friend Lee to finally fulfil his life‑long promise of travelling the world together.”
This was shot in Death Valley in 2018. Upon seeing this seat, I had the idea of two old friends in their 90s who have finally fulfilled all their wishes and are ready to embark on a journey together, but only one showed up. So, the old man who showed up sat alone in this beautiful place, waiting and waiting.
“Waiting for old friend Lee to finally fulfil his life‑long promise of travelling the world together.”
This was shot in Death Valley in 2018. Upon seeing this seat, I had the idea of two old friends in their 90s who have finally fulfilled all their wishes and are ready to embark on a journey together, but only one showed up. So, the old man who showed up sat alone in this beautiful place, waiting and waiting.
等回忆不再流逝的那一天
“Waiting for the day when memories stop fading.”
This was the last photo I took on my camera in the USA after a month‑long of travelling there in 2018. The memories I made during that trip are like the sunlight hitting the chair and the wall, it will only get smaller and smaller, and at one point, it will be gone.
“Waiting for the day when memories stop fading.”
This was the last photo I took on my camera in the USA after a month‑long of travelling there in 2018. The memories I made during that trip are like the sunlight hitting the chair and the wall, it will only get smaller and smaller, and at one point, it will be gone.
等圣诞节
“Waiting for Christmas.”
This was taken at the co‑working space that I worked at in 2018. Spot the small hint of Christmas from the gifts on the table! Well, didn’t many of us eagerly wait for Christmas to come when we were young?
“Waiting for Christmas.”
This was taken at the co‑working space that I worked at in 2018. Spot the small hint of Christmas from the gifts on the table! Well, didn’t many of us eagerly wait for Christmas to come when we were young?
等女儿上台表演
“Waiting for our daughter to perform on stage.”
I took this during intermission of a philharmonic performance in 2019. The two armrests of these seats that are placed close together made me think of parents holding hands, nervous but mostly excited to show their support for their kids on stage.
“Waiting for our daughter to perform on stage.”
I took this during intermission of a philharmonic performance in 2019. The two armrests of these seats that are placed close together made me think of parents holding hands, nervous but mostly excited to show their support for their kids on stage.
等一个新造型
“Waiting for a new hairstyle.”
Took this during one my street shoots in Kuala Lumpur this year. What comes to mind with the mentions of getting a new hairstyle is usually the crazily long, anxiety‑filled waiting time. Will the new hairstyle suit me? Fingers crossed.
“Waiting for a new hairstyle.”
Took this during one my street shoots in Kuala Lumpur this year. What comes to mind with the mentions of getting a new hairstyle is usually the crazily long, anxiety‑filled waiting time. Will the new hairstyle suit me? Fingers crossed.
