ilana lewin - Ephemeral Ascent

Ephemeral Ascent

Publication for The Scribe Magazine

This engaging series unfolds as a delightful visual conversation between nature and humanity, gently prompting us to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

As a European travelling to Taiwan, I wanted to embrace the Taiwanese culture and their sense of collectivity. In Taiwanese culture, the colour red is significant for luck, fortune and happiness. I meant to make red the focal point of my photos to demonstrate that although this colour can be associated with fierceness in the Western world, it can also be interpreted as strength, peacefulness and beauty.

The lanterns are designed with a different colour on each side and each carries its significance:

Red for good fortune, love, prosperity.

Pink for romance, marriage and harmonious relationships.

Green for growth, success in education, and new beginnings.

Yellow for health and well-being.

Blue for hope, peace, and calmness.

As I took a moment to write down my wishes on these different sides, I felt a subtle weight in my stomach which gently transformed into a soothing enveloping warmth as I observed the lanterns gracefully drifting into the distance.

For me, the lanterns celebrate the ethereal lightness of problems. The knots within me seemed to loosen as the lantern gently floated away into the great distance of the infinite.

These photographs of lanterns serve as a metaphor, highlighting the value of each passing moment as if encapsulated within the gentle floating of these lanterns. In this seemingly uncomplicated act of inscribing wishes and observing the lanterns' departure, there lies a quiet acknowledgment of the importance of cherishing the simple, fleeting moments in our lives.

The series, with its charming interplay of colours and the weightless floating, gently nudges us to recognise the understated beauty inherent in each passing instant.