“Shadow Strangers” was inspired by my
experience as a student living in New York.
The concept emerged from everyday moments,
particularly during visits to the supermarket.
Wander around a supermarket and observe the
endless aisles of products, the shapes and colors
of packaging, and the quiet anonymity of bottles
and packages, one after another. I found
similarities between these products and myself,
just one product among many, blending into the
background. From the perspective of the entire
world—or even just New York—these people
shopping in the supermarket, along with the
products themselves, are all very small. Everyone,
including myself, goes about their day
anonymously, quietly picking out the items they
need, while the products, in turn, are quietly
chosen.
This reflection inspired the theme of my project,
Shadow Strangers, capturing the feeling of being
small and insignificant in this vast city, yet still
striving to adapt and survive. People in the
supermarket were immersed in their own daily
lives, which reminded me that, as a student away
from home, I am also a quiet participant in this big
city, often unnoticed but still present. This project
captures a feeling of being small and formless, like
a shadow on a wall, yet constantly present,
moving within this environment and finding a place
in the community, just like me and everyone else
around me.