Henna 海娜
Raised in an atypical Muslim family with intermarriage between a Mongolian and a Hui Muslim, I often feel like an outsider. "How exactly should I choose my identity?" This question has always been bothering me, but there is no definite answer.
In the farmhouse I was born, my granny grew a plant called henna. Every time the religious holiday was upon us, she would take out the henna powder, mix it with tea, and paint on my nails, which created a scarlet shadow on them. This is the most vivid memory of my Muslim identity from my childhood.
The project takes me between my hometown in Qinghai and other significant cities in China, such as Guangzhou. In these locations, I aim to capture cultural markers and personal stories that illustrate how traditions are preserved, adapted, or transformed over time. Through my photography, I depict how these women navigate cultural boundaries, balancing traditional expectations with modern aspirations.
In my work, the color red is a central theme, inspired by the henna my grandmother used during religious holidays. This color connects my personal memories with broader cultural elements, like red prayer mats, pink hijabs, and crimson dates, which become symbols of belonging but also carry with them a type of pain.
By integrating these elements, I aim to create a visual narrative that reflects both the beauty and complexity of these cultural intersections. My work aims to illuminate the resilience required to balance these opposing forces and create a space for conversations about identity, belonging, and the search for harmony.
我对穆斯林身份最深刻的童年记忆，来自我出生的农家院。那里，姥姥种了一株海娜花。在每年的宗教节日，她都会拿出海娜粉，与茶水调和后涂在我的指甲上。第二天醒来，我的手指便染上一抹绯红。这种传统让我与我的文化根源紧紧相连。
我成长于一个蒙古族与回族通婚的非典型穆斯林家庭。在那些强调“同一性”的传统穆斯林家庭中，我时常感到自己像个“局外人”。我的创作聚焦于这些矛盾，探讨传统与现代之间的微妙平衡，以及“介于两者之间”的挣扎。
在我的作品中，我以红色作为贯穿始终的主题，象征着海娜花。这种颜色连接着我的个人记忆和更广泛的文化元素，比如红色的礼拜毯、粉红色的头巾和深红色的枣子。在拍摄肖像前，我会用海娜染红她们的指甲，并与她们进行访谈。通过这种方式，我希望构建一个视觉叙事，展现文化交汇的美丽与复杂性。
通过摄影，我记录了那些跨越文化界限的女性的故事。她们在传统期望与现代愿景之间寻找平衡，拒绝被民族、宗教或身份所定义，在挑战中展现出如海娜般坚韧的力量。
80 pages, 200*185mm, photo book