Growing up in the city, I kept pictures of specific corners in my memory. This is perhaps because of the way I grew up. Moving, saying goodbye and readjusting are things that constantly happen. That’s why I love to look for familiar things in the new environment to connect to the past.

As time goes by, those specific things from those special corners in my memory become a unique element living in the city I’m in. With a busy lifestyle, I sometimes forget those warm pictures that were once in my memory. When I moved to the States, returning to the field of art, I once again started to seek that familiar corner in this strange new city.

This series of pictures is a dialogue between me and myself. They reveal my emotions as I enter new cities. They sometimes convey what I see of me in these new cities. I was perhaps lonely or perhaps waiting – waiting for a place I am able to call mine. At the same time, this creative work process has given me a chance to self-reflect. When I see the stories and emotions of these people in the city, I remember those warm corners in my memory. They are the corners that made me smile in a strange new city. They are the corners that are filled with these calm yet powerful “bits”. These bits maybe a row of white daisies in front of a blue window or the roots of an old tree popping out of the cement. These bits has become unique companionship for me in the city. Therefore, in my work, I also want to present the companionship I want to make for the city.

The city is not just a place where we live in, but what we live alongside with.

– YinChen is a San Francisco-based Fine Art Photographer who specializes in photography of portraiture. Discover more of her work here.