Your name
Timjune Tianjun Li
Place of birth
China
Place where you live now
Helsinki, Finland
3 words to describe you
Daydreamer, Bird, Wind
Why do you take pictures?
I take pictures to make the world in my eyes visible to others. I tend to use photos as my paints to illustrate a world in my imagination and to feel connected to the world.
Where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration is drawn from a wide spectrum of art forms. I'm fortunate to be a synesthete, which fosters multiple connections between different senses. Music, film, literature, and visual arts all contribute to my inspiration while I create my work. For example, I can "see" the shapes and colors in music and sound. When looping my favorite albums, the flowing colourful shapes of the sounds become a part of my visual pleasures.
Who are your influences?
It's challenging for me to pinpoint specific artists as influences because I draw inspiration from a multitude of talented artists across various disciplines.
What determines the subject matter you choose?
The subjects I choose are often determined by the emotions and observations I experience in very fleeting moments. However, they could also be phenomena in our living world that I found strong connection with.
What impact would you like your art to have?
I aspire for my art to create connections. When viewers engage with my work, I hope they are moved and feel a sense of connection in some way. Those meaningful connections are invaluable to me, making me believe that there are stars like myself shining upon each other in this boundless universe.
What artwork do you never get bored with?
Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro. For me, it's a splendid piece of art. I feel greatly connected with its aesthetic and the storytelling. The most fascinating thing about this film is that it has a tragic ending, but you are allowed to use your imagination to see the light of hope.
Is there anything you want to add?
To the older me in the future, quoted from one of my favourite songs by Youth Lagoon: ""Don't stop imagining, the day that you do is the day that you die"

Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind
Project statement

Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind is an ongoing photography-sound project that explores the interplay between nature and humanity in the Anthropocene era. The project re-imagines a delicate fable-like utopia based on the current environmental challenges. Comprising a series of photographs and an experimental soundtrack album, this project centers on the artistic exploration of diverse regions, encompassing natural landscapes, human activities, regional folklore, and cultural heritages.

In the creation of Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind, I strive to capture and express the multifaceted emotions associated with grief in the face of ecological degradation. In the Finland edition, the series of photographs takes on new life as layers of natural and artificial visual metaphors intertwine, bringing forth a mesmerizing tapestry. These metaphors, captured during sensory field trips and within the realm of everyday life in Finland, evoke a delicate interplay between reality and imagination.

The accompanying experimental soundtrack album is a symphony of sounds collected from the Finnish natural realm, encompassing the whispers of wind, the melodies of birds, the rugged resonance of rocks, and the ethereal echoes of the sea. Interspersed within this sonic tapestry are the vibrant rhythms of human activities—helicopter flights, footsteps, the hum of machines, and the spoken word. Additionally, my improvisational vocals establish an intimate connection with the natural soundscapes, weaving together a tapestry of sensory experiences.

Listen to Soundtrack Album Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind: https://on.soundcloud.com/TCkufp5WNHaNeZR5A

About “Grief”: The Loss of Hometown, and the delicate ecological future.
Having grown up in a residential area on the outskirts of a bustling southern Chinese city, I developed a profound love for nature that was nurtured by the enchanting woods surrounding my childhood home. These woods, once majestic and serene, witnessed the decay of the neighborhood as it succumbed to the relentless march of factories and real estate developments. The loss I experienced upon my return to the area after the pandemic was a catalyst for my exploration of grief and its complex relationship with the world we inhabit.
A relocation to Finland provided a contrasting perspective, as I marveled at the abundance of urban forests, among the finest in the world. However, this newfound admiration was tinged with a sobering realization that even these forested realms were not immune to the encroachments of urban planning. It was through engaging with passionate activists mourning the loss of forests and nature that I became acutely aware of the urgent need to confront the challenges we face. Their anguish served as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness of environmental decline and the disappearance of nature, prompting me to delve deeper into the perils of our current epoch, the Anthropocene.

timjune tianjun li
@timjunelee