The work of "Open Your Eyes" Series focuses on the elderly population. My own mother belongs to this group — every three months, she is required to submit a photograph proving she is still alive in order to receive her senior subsidy. The photo must show her holding a current newspaper of that day, or sitting next to a television playing CCTV News with the date clearly visible on screen. The photo is then sent to the neighborhood WeChat group. Among the images uploaded to the group, some elderly individuals are smiling, while others appear dazed or indifferent. Even more striking are those lying frail and bedridden, barely clinging to life. I vividly recall a video once posted in the group: an elderly woman, too weak to even keep her eyes open, with a family member urging anxiously beside her, “Open your eyes, open your eyes and let's take another photo...”
The elderly figures in Open Your Eyes, as bearers of individual lives, carry the weight of aging, memory, and existence. Their facial features are blurred, and their personal characteristics are deliberately subdued. Against a black backdrop, faint expressions are traced — as if in the fleeting moment before dissolution. Through these fragmented portraits, I express both empathy and reverence for the passage of life. The newspaper in each elder's hand, as a carrier of contemporary information, serves as a medium connecting the individual to the world. The collaged newspapers not only symbolize the eras and events the elderly have lived through but also hint at how, in the information age, personal memory is swept along by media and eroded by time. The fusion of these two elements elevates the work from merely "painting the elderly" to "painting the human being within the era," exploring the relationship between individual life and the relentless currents of the times.
How one society treats its elderly is an important measure of its level of civilization. Respecting the elderly, ensuring their basic living needs, and providing medical care and emotional support reflect a society's reverence for life and its concern for vulnerable groups. The elderly carry the dignity of life and have witnessed the significant stages of the human journey. Their existence reminds us of the continuity and development of life, as well as the unique value and meaning of each stage. They are not only a part of society but also an important window through which we can reflect on life, existence, morality, and social structures. By observing and documenting the late-life circumstances of the elderly through artistic works, we can gain a deeper understanding of human nature, the value of life, and the responsibilities of society.
