Sarah Mei Herman

Touch (China)

Sarah Mei Herman started her long-term project in 2014 during an artist residency on the Chinese coastal city island of Xiamen. Rather than focusing on cultural differences, Sarah Mei Herman explores aspects that are universally recognizable: the importance of friendship and love. This ongoing series portrays four recurring young women over time. They are all connected as they studied at the same university. The harmony and beauty that strikes the eye upon first viewing the images is streaked by underlying sadness and references to a hidden and secret universe of femininity. In China, being gay is no longer illegal, but it’s still not accepted by older generations. None of Sarah Mei Herman’s protagonists could speak openly with their parents about their sexual preferences. Since 2014, Sarah Mei Herman has returned to Xiamen several times to capture the changes in her protagonists’ lives. This long-term approach allowed the artist to unveil intimate moments between her protagonists, but also the connectedness between the protagonists and the artist herself. Three of the four young women have moved to Europe in recent years. The last photographs were taken in the Netherlands, where the artist lives.

Sarah Mei Herman begann ihr Langzeitprojekt 2014 während einer Künstlerresidenz auf der chinesischen Küstenstadtinsel Xiamen. Anstatt sich auf kulturelle Unterschiede zu fokussieren, untersucht Sarah Mei Herman Aspekte, die universal anzuerkennen sind: die Bedeutung von Freundschaft und Liebe. Diese fortlaufende Serie porträtiert vier junge Frauen im Laufe der Zeit. Die Protagonist*innen sind miteinander befreundet, seit sie an derselben Universität studiert haben. Die Harmonie und Schönheit, die beim ersten Betrachten der Bilder ins Auge fallen, wirkt durchzogen von unterschwelliger Traurigkeit und verweist auf ein verborgenes und geheimes Universum der Weiblichkeit. In China ist es nicht mehr illegal, lesbisch zu sein, aber es wird von älteren Generationen immer noch nicht akzeptiert. Keine der Protagonist*innen von Sarah Mei Herman konnte offen mit ihren Eltern über ihre sexuellen Vorlieben sprechen. Seit 2014 ist Sarah Mei Herman mehrfach nach Xiamen zurückgekehrt, um die Veränderungen im Leben ihrer Protagonisten festzuhalten. Dieser langfristige Ansatz ermöglichte es der Künstlerin, intime Momente zwischen ihren Protagonist*innen, aber auch die Verbundenheit zwischen den Protagonist*innen und der Künstlerin selbst zu enthüllen. Drei der vier jungen Frauen sind in den letzten Jahren nach Europa gezogen. Die letzten Aufnahmen entstanden in den Niederlanden, wo die Künstlerin lebt und arbeitet.

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Meghan Marin – Thinking of U

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Mia Vasquez – Audiovisual Cuir

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Sarah Mei Herman​ – Touch

Sarah Mei Herman started this long-term project in 2014 during an artist residency on the Chinese coastal city island of Xiamen. Rather than focusing on cultural differences, Sarah Mei Herman explores aspects that are universally recognizable: the importance of friendship and love.

watch project »

Sabrina Weniger – Jasmine the Lovebird

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Ziyu Wang – Go Get´em Boy

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