Pockets of Human Connection

IDC Exhibit- Kelly Jiang

Pockets of Human Connection: Curator’s Note

Despite being a city of 8 million people, New York City is also regarded as one of the loneliest cities in the world. Home to migrants and dreamers, the city represents possibility and opportunity. Yet for many, chasing their dreams or sometimes, just fending for survival, is a lonesome journey. As commuters fill packed subway carts, strangers sit among each other, interact briefly with a simple nod or glance of acknowledgement, and never cross paths again.

When searching for a theme for my exhibit, I was struggling to capture the specific emotion that I wanted to portray through just a single word. I wanted to portray loneliness and solitude, but I also wanted to convey emotions of warmth, tenderness, and human connection. When tossing around ideas and thinking of potential ways to frame my theme, my friend suggested looking through the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. This dictionary, created by John Koenig, is a collection of made up words that are meant to describe feelings or emotions that are universal, but can not be fully captured through an existing word from the English dictionary. That’s when the word “sonder” surfaced again. I’ve encountered this word before, but I’ve never realized that it was not actually an existent word in the English dictionary. The word “sonder” is defined as “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.”

Any big city in this world holds unique stories of millions of individuals who feel joy, pain, frustration, loneliness, and love. In the past two years, the pandemic has both connected us and disconnected us in so many ways. For many, it has allowed us to rethink our priorities and to consider what really is important to us. It has allowed us to unite over social movements and demand a brighter future. On the other hand, it has disconnected many from their families and the many daily activities that were once taken for granted. Through this exhibit, I wanted to share small moments of human connection, where despite being individuals who are all on a rather lonely journey to navigate this world, we all share vivid experiences, feelings, and emotions that though difficult to convey in words, can be expressed through art.

sonder

n. “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.”

Many of the pieces that I chose were not necessarily traditional works of art such as

paintings, but rather images that I found online from various different sources from

Pinterest to Etsy. Though I was initially hesitant, I feel that it is fitting and perhaps even more representative of the diversity of the individuals that reside in this city. This photograph I found is a print that a

photographer is selling on Etsy. It captures just how grand the city is and how with every light, there is a story of a stranger whose life is just as vivid and detailed as

your own. Downtown New York City Skyline Night, Jeff

Brummett, Photograph

This digital artwork hones in on the individual lights that light up a building, giving life to the stories behind each window. Apartment

complexes are home to hundreds of families, each with their own vivid life experiences and emotions. Despite many individuals all being in close proximity to one another, this

photo evokes feelings of loneliness and solitude that are

common large cities.

Sonder, Digital Art, Pinterest

This painting captures feelings of loneliness and longing. Resembling

works of artists such as Edward Hopper, this painting evokes feelings of solitude. As the woman is winding down for bed, evident from her nightgown, lamp, and

book, she gazes out the window towards the other lighted windows. Though living in an apartment complex surrounded by other families, the woman is alone. The warm colors of the painting emphasize a

calm collectedness, and even without words, the art is able to portray such

strong emotions.

Night Stories by Sally Storch, Painting

This photograph captures the innocence of childhood and the connection between a

father and his daughter. This photo automatically stood out to me, as there is a punctum and an emotional tie that I could

personally relate to. When I was younger, I would sit on my dad’s shoulders like that

when I got tired of walking. I have a photo that closely resembles this one, and many

individuals might have a similar story or connection that this photo reminds them of.

@chrlen.e, Photograph

延命治療 avogado6, Digital Art

This work of digital art is created by a Japanese artist that goes by the username of avogado6. He creates works of art that that

encapsulates feelings that everyone has encountered before but cannot describe, very

similar to the purpose of the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. This work of art in

particular roughly translates to “when you are trying to save what should stay in the past”

and features a child trying to save their snowman by keeping it in the freezer. Not only is this work a reflection of a childhood

experience that many are familiar with, it also reflects a deeper sense of longing, and

perhaps loneliness that comes with adulthood where you are trying to salvage

memories of the past.

This photograph captures the warmth and tenderness of family. The back view of the

photographer’s parents preparing dinner is an image that many individuals can relate to and

probably have witnessed in their own household. From personal experience, in

many Asian households, the preparation of food not only holds strong cultural ties, but it is

also a token of love. Making dumplings or preparing food together allows for quality time

and feelings of connectedness.

@chrlen.e, Photograph

This digital piece is also created by avogado6. Focusing on an interaction of two individuals on

opposite sides of the escalators, the title translates to “when your eyes meet”. This piece

reminds of another term that I encountered when browsing through the Dictionary of

Obscure Sorrows: xeno. This word is defined as “smallest measurable unit of human

connection, typically exchanged between passing strangers—a flirtatious glance, a

sympathetic nod, a shared laugh about some odd coincidence—moments that are fleeting

and random but still contain powerful emotional nutrients that can alleviate the symptoms of

feeling alone.” These kinds of small connections and interactions happen daily in NYC where a quick encounter with a stranger

can prove to be a memorable connection, even if briefly.

一期一会 avogado6, Digital Art

This photograph by Jerome Geronimo is part of a series titled New York Under the Umbrella. This photograph captures two

individuals sharing an umbrella on a rainy NYC street, a small moment of human

connection that individuals around the world have all experienced. It is not out of the

ordinary to offer to share an umbrella with a stranger during a rainy day. Though only

briefly, it is a memorable small act of kindness.

New York Under The Umbrella, Jerome Geronimo, Photograph

Every year during the first snow, people gather round admiring it as if it’s the first time they’ve

ever seen snow. In elementary school, I remember vividly everyone would gather around

the window and marvel at the snow. I feel as if this is a common experience and a common joy that we have all experienced, just being in awe of the natural beauty of the world. Dancing through the

snow and tasting it with our tongues are all shared experiences we all have regardless of our

background.

Love, Photograph, Pinterest

This photo titled “Reunion After Days Away” taken by Gail Albert was taken in the middle of the pandemic of a family

reunion after being separated for months due to COVID. Taken through the

windows, it gives the audience a different perspective that highlights the fact that

this is the story of a stranger. Many moments that help us feel connected to

one another such as a visit to a grandparent’s house were taken away in the midst of the pandemic, allowing us a slower pace to reevaluate our priorities in life. As we slowly ease into doing activities that we did pre-COVID, small moments of

human connection are cherished even more. "Reunion after Days Away”, Gail Albert

Halaban, Photograph