Illuminate
“Think about the brightest thing in your life”
Chapter I: Mono-dialogue, 2025
Single-channel video, HD, color, Soundtrack by s é h e e, 4 min 52 sec
This film uses a surreal visual language accompanied by haiku-like dialogue. Rather than following a linear story, fragmented images of body parts such as eyes, hands, and lips express the protagonist’s emotions. In reality, I often encounter moments of synchronicity, and I wanted to reflect that in this film, when light unexpectedly appears in my daily life.
Chapter II: Bright Tongue, 2026
Single-channel video, HD, color, Soundtrack by s é h e e, 7 short films
This omnibus film blends documentary and visual poetry to connect the stories of seven immigrants from diverse backgrounds, including Eritrea, Japan, China, Iran, Argentina, India, and Costa Rica. As all seven participants are residents of Washington state, the project carries both a local anchor and a global resonance that reflects the region’s rich cultural diversity.
The central theme begins with an open question: “Think about the brightest thing in your life.” Rather than following traditional biographical research, the film captures the participants' psychological worlds through a poetic lens. In a polarized world, the project seeks to express shared humanity and intimacy while finding beauty beneath division. The camera focuses on the subjects’ homes and personal spaces to document their gestures rather than their faces. Each segment is audio-driven, featuring narrations in the subjects' own voices through various formats such as poems, essays, stories, or conversational dialogue. Because English is not their first language, their distinct accents hold history and lend a unique "glow" to the sound. Their narrative monologues convey an emotional landscape, ultimately guiding them and the audience toward an optimistic vision of a shared future.
This project is supported by Open4Culture, Collective Power Funds, and smART Adventures grant.
Participants
Olger Palmer, Azadeh Gholizadeh, Naoko Watanabe, Sarah Hu, Nahom Ghirmay, Hernan Paganini, Neha Panicker, Hemant Kumar, Raina, Yoojin Chung, Emma Jacobson (Voice), s é h e e (Voice)
Music by s é h e e
Sound by SellinSellySelline
Drums Michael Bailey
Saxophone Jonathan Jacobson
Cello George Durham
Violin Sharon Wherland
Illuminate: Book
Exhibition
The Vestibule
June 6 - 27, 2026
Opening reception | June 6 3 - 5 pm
Live and Panel discussion | June 19th 7pm
The Vestibule
5919 15th Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107
Friday, Saturday 12 - 5