Sonder

"Sonder"—noun: the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.

“Sonder” explores masculinity through domesticity, focusing on the relationships between male family members and the objects, gestures, and spaces that shape their everyday lives. Set between London and Taichung, two cities that have shaped my own identity, the project examines how masculinities are expressed, negotiated, and reimagined within the family home.

The family home, rich with personal and cultural heritage and shaped by generations, is often coded as a feminine space. In contrast to traditionally masculine domains like workplaces, sports fields, or battlefields, it becomes a transformative site to reveal alternative expressions of masculinity. By centering domesticity, the series challenges these binaries, revealing care, intimacy, and vulnerability within male relationships.

Blending documentary with staged interventions, I collaborated with ten families, turning their homes into intimate stages where the line between the natural and performed is blurred. Shot entirely indoors, the work intentionally lacks clear geographical markers, inviting viewers to question: where was this taken, and what elements reveal its cultural context? Likewise, the nature of each moment remains uncertain: was it staged or spontaneous? This ambiguity mirrors how masculinity is continuously performed, negotiated, and shaped by context.

Everyday objects, clothing, and gestures become vessels of personal, familial, and cross-cultural heritage, highlighting nuanced layers of intimacy, connection, and care. The work moves beyond showcasing the male body, offering a more intersectional and complex gaze on masculinity.

The title "Sonder"—noun: the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—encapsulates the project’s ethos of universality and shared human experiences, emphasizing how personal stories resonate across cultural boundaries and invite collective reflection.