Vulnerability is a recurring theme in my work. This is expressed through thin silk tissue paper and fragile eggshells. But also in visual language. The drops of ink on the thin paper are like tears of pain, sadness, frustration, irritation, powerlessness, disappointment, fear, and anger. Just like empathy, being touched by music, joy, laughter, fun, and happiness. Tears also come to our eyes when cutting an onion, a look in the full sun, or with a spicy dish. Tears rolling down our cheeks let us read different emotions from each other. By the way, crying with tears is a unique feature that only occurs in humans.
Tears themselves also turn out to be unique! No tear has the same composition. Like our fingerprints and snowflakes, every tear is one of a kind. For example, an emotional tear contains protein-like hormones, a neurotransmitter with an analgesic effect. How ingenious! Tears help us better tolerate pain. Research by neuroscientist Uri Hasson and Doctor of Psychology Michelle Hendriks shows that tears can also provide connection because bystanders offer comfort or help, an embedded evolutionary mechanism.
Tears that make people help others is a good thing. That's why rolling tears on silk tissue paper are the forms with which I create my work. Tears are intimate and personal and, at the same time, universal. Everyone knows tears and the emotions that go along with them. For me, a tear is a work of art in itself. A golden or silver tear represents connection, empathy, and support. A tear that expresses, I see you. You are not alone. A golden tear represents compassion, recognition, and healing.
Photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher captures tears of grief, joy, laughter and irritation in extreme detail.
Above: and Tears of timeless reunion, Photo © Rose-Lynn Fisher
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