Blue Mine I by Timjune | Limited Edition Photography Print 32.9 x 48.3cm

“Blue Mine” is a part of my ongoing project under the theme of Childhood, Fantasy, Escapism, and Painful Reality.

I spent the month of February in the North Island, New Zealand in 2020. Instead of the ongoing winter in the northern hemisphere, it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere. It was the first time I had ever felt the difference between summer and winter caused by the movement of the earth, not just by the temperature in the air, but by a strange difference between time and space. I came from the north to south, from winter to summer, as if I had entered a changing time through the movement of space. I was greatly concerned for my family and friends while the Covid-19 epidemic was spreading in my hometown. I wish to reset the atmosphere in the photos to create such contrast between the summer sunset and the rather winterish use of color, while such contrast allows the emotional connections between me and my friends and family who are enduring the winter far away back home.

This series of photographs was taken in Karangabake Gorge in a pool of water formed by several streams in the ruins of a gold mine. I reflect my nostalgia on a boy swimming in the pool.  I separated the boy from the summer atmosphere and placed him in a more profound and mysterious background. In such photos, the viewers may feel the summer or the winter, thus trying to construct an imaginary space that is in dialogue with themselves, the environment, and fantasy.

About the Artist 

Tianjun Li, also known as Timjune, was born in China, 1999, is a multidisciplinary visual artist and photographer living in Helsinki, Finland.

Timjune’s works focus on the interplay between diverse photographic subjects reflecting on living reality, creating a new poetic visual dimension through the process of reconstructing various elements. This unique approach allows him to reinterpret contemporary phenomena with an ethereal perspective of surrealism.

Timjune’s captivating works have garnered attention from international art presses and have been exhibited in prestigious museums and galleries across the globe. He is also one of the youngest artists to have held a solo exhibition in South China.

In addition to his artistic practice, he is also invited to collaborate with the music industry, creating album artwork and music visuals for international musicians and celebrities. His unique dreamlike vision and creative approach have earned him recognition as a rising talent in the art world.