So Close When You Look Away
So Close When You Look Away is a series created by Ruizhe (Roy) Hong, a London-based photographer, as a part of his graduation project from the University of Westminster. The series focuses on the topics of intimacy, love, and the self in opposition to distance, indifference, and the other in a relationship. By using symbols such as an eggshell, a piece of melting ice, tying a knot on a finger, and lighting a match, Ruizhe invites us to contemplate on the complexities of a human being, the desire to build a connection with the other, and a possibility that any relationship may fade and fail.
The attempt is to show the dynamics of the ever-changing feelings with an emphasis on the physical and emotional space between the two lovers. The pain and challenge of being in love and facing a possible breakup preoccupy Ruizhe in his quest to define this emotion or connection. As he explains, “Love is not merely a single emotion but an intricate combination of both positive and negative feelings. Thus, love is like a pendulum that swings between pleasure and pain.” We speak with Ruizhe about technical choices that have to do with his work on So Close When You Look Away and some of his favorite moments and images that emerged.
‘In this project, I recreated the fragmented moments within a relationship that showcase the intricate nature of love. Love might be seemingly positive and joyful yet painful and intractable.’
The project is about the feeling of both intimacy and distance in a relationship. For me, a relationship is always in a flowing status that is constantly shifting and changing.
In this project, I recreated the fragmented moments within a relationship that showcase the intricate nature of love. Love might be seemingly positive and joyful yet painful and intractable at the same time. A relationship could be overwhelming: one might find themselves constantly living in a complication of being loved and abandoned simultaneously. Sometimes, even though a couple is physically close, their souls could be alienated. One always waits for the other, while the other never waits.
Love is not merely a single emotion but an intricate combination of both positive and negative feelings. Thus, love is like a pendulum that swings between pleasure and pain.
"when you're looking at me, you're far away,
but when you're looking at the clouds, how could we be nearer."
— Gu Cheng (from Far and Near)
‘All the objects play a significant part in this project and build up a complicated monologue that is usually hidden away from the public.’
The main technical choice I made was using different props on the set and conveying meaning through them. Based on the texts from A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments by Roland Barthes, I use objects that match the emotion I feel from the book and visualise it in my photographic language. For example, the cracked eggshell resting between the backs of the models represents a sense of fragility and vulnerability. The ice melting in the hands of the model symbolises that he is making an offering and showing his devotion. All the objects play a significant part in this project and build up a complicated monologue that is usually hidden away from the public. I want to use this obscure way to express the emotions and struggles one might experience in a relationship.
‘One of my favourite shots of the project is the one with the two models by the riverside, along with a wooden stick standing in the water. This scene took place when we were tired and ran out of ideas.’
To me, the best moments in this project are mostly intuitive and unplanned. The last shoot I did was at Seven Sisters cliffs in Eastbourne, England. When I was a student in Brighton, I would visit Seven Sisters regularly and enjoy wandering in the beautiful landscape there. One of my favourite shots of the project is the one with the two models by the riverside, along with a wooden stick standing in the water. This scene took place when we were tired and ran out of ideas, and we ended up resting on a bench by the river. Then I saw the stick in the river, looking lonely and helpless, so I snapped the shot without the models knowing.
Another shot is the one with them holding the burning match. It happened at the very end of the shoot when we were back in Brighton City Centre, the sky was getting dark, and I only had one frame left in the roll. The idea of the burning match has existed in my mind for months, and it originated from a fragment test from the book A Lover’s Discourse, which compares long-lasting love and the one that burns. We then lit up the match on Brighton beach, and eventually, the vibrant flame and the dark blue sky formed a beautiful colour contrast.
