Artist
Artist
CHEN CAN
China
Concept of the work
Autumn Bloom
This short film draws its inspiration from Lìqiū, the solar term in the traditional East Asian calendar that marks the Beginning of Autumn. At this moment, nature transitions from the fullness of summer to the coolness of autumn, and all living things begin their subtle shift from flourishing toward decline. Through two central symbolic motifs, the chrysanthemum and the rhinoceros horn cup, the film explores the delicate threshold between abundance and quiet decay, highlighting both the ephemerality of life and the continuity of cultural memory.
The chrysanthemum, long celebrated in East Asian aesthetics as a flower of resilience and integrity, is depicted in multiple states: golden and radiant in full bloom, curling and drying as its vitality wanes, and finally marked with delicate speckles as it withers. Each transformation is captured with intimate close-ups, emphasizing the fragile textures of petals, the subtle play of light across surfaces, and the fleeting beauty found in imperfection. Rather than presenting decline as loss, the film treats the life cycle of the flower as a form of ongoing beauty, embodying serenity, reflection, and the quiet dignity of autumn.
The rhinoceros horn cup appears intermittently, sometimes sharply present, sometimes fading into the background. Its ephemeral visibility conveys the suspension of time and the endurance of tradition, bridging the fleeting rhythms of nature with human history. By juxtaposing the transient bloom of the chrysanthemum with the enduring presence of the cup, the film meditates on impermanence, permanence, and the relationship between nature and culture. The dialogue between flower and vessel invites viewers to contemplate cycles that are both universal and deeply personal.
Visually, the film adopts a restrained and poetic approach. The camera lingers on minute gestures: a fingertip brushing a petal, the curve of a face under soft light, the delicate veins within a flower. Such attention draws the viewer into a heightened awareness of presence, where even small, quiet moments resonate with meaning. The pacing is deliberate, with long, unhurried takes that allow silence to breathe. Sound design enhances this contemplative quality, blending soft ambient tones with subtle traces of traditional Eastern instruments. The fusion of image and sound evokes clarity, stillness, and the refreshing coolness unique to early autumn, creating an immersive sensory experience.
At its core, the film conveys that autumn is not solely a season of decline, but also a time for introspection, contemplation, and renewal. The fading of blossoms is an invitation to pause, to look inward, and to accept impermanence with grace. Viewers are encouraged to reflect on the cycles of life, to find balance amid change, and to return to a state of inner serenity.
By weaving together the ephemeral beauty of flowers and the enduring presence of cultural artifacts, the film presents a meditation on the intersection of natural and human time.
While blossoms flourish and fade, memory and tradition persist, offering a quiet resilience. This interplay between the transient and the lasting deepens the film’s emotional and philosophical resonance.
Ultimately, this short film is both a visual and emotional meditation on seasonal change. It captures the liminal moment when abundance yields to stillness, when the act of withering becomes an expression of grace. The work invites viewers not only to witness this fragile threshold but to dwell within it, to contemplate both the fleeting and the eternal, and to discover in the rhythms of nature a mirror for the inner transformations of the human heart. It is an invitation to experience autumn not merely as an end, but as a space for reflection, memory, and quiet wonder.
Duration: 1'09"
Year: 2025
Profile
This short film is inspired by the beginning of autumn, one of the 24 solar terms. Through the symbolic motifs of chrysanthemums and rhinoceros horn cups, it depicts the rhythm of nature, moving from full bloom to decline. The diverse forms of chrysanthemums, with their shining golden petals, their drying appearance, and their minute speckles, symbolize the maturity and tranquility of autumn. Meanwhile, the rhinoceros horn cups, appearing somewhere between reality and fiction, suggest the stagnation of time and the inheritance of culture. The video delicately captures the texture of fingertips and petals, while the soft music and oriental sounds blend together to create the refreshing, poetic feeling unique to the beginning of autumn. It quietly conveys that autumn is not the beginning of decline, but a season of reflection and return.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chencatherine_22/
