Manjusaka

Manjusaka (also called lycoris or amaryllis), is the name of a flowering plant in the lily family that blooms in autumn. When its red flowers bloom, its leaves fall off and when its leaves grow, the flowers fade. 
This phenomenon has given rise to various legends. The popular name for lycoris in Japanese is Higanbana (from Higan: “the other side of the Sanzu River”) and means ‘flower of life after death.’ Sanzu is a mythological river -similar to the River Styx in Greek mythology-, which forms the border between the Earth and the Underworld. The souls of the dead must pass through it, it is a passage to the afterlife. Chinese mythology tells us that when a person meets someone they will never see again, these flowers, also called red spider lilies, bloom along the way. They have become a symbol of the final separation.

The metaphor of Manjusaka fits well with what this series wishes to express: the sadness of the city dwellers caused by the distance from nature that gradually sets in and the pain of depression due to the oppressive pace of life in modern society. It is also an account of a personal experience of this love for nature, of the depression and loneliness experienced during this difficult period of the pandemic.

From Iceland to China, from Tokyo to the Alps or the beaches of Zeeland, or simply at home, the photos have been taken over several years in the emotion of the moment. Manjusaka is the first attempt at a series after a photography course at the ESA Saint-Luc in Liège. This work calls for the recognition in modern life of fragility, emotion, introspection when depression occurs, nostalgia for unity with nature, solitude accentuated by a global event. The series is still ongoing.

Zheshen Jiang is a Belgian photographer. Throughout his career as a scientific researcher, he has used his sensitivity and attention to detail to construct his images. Whether it is during social events or in various reports, the author expresses his emotions of the moment through formal geometry and his vividly colourful shots. This work reveals a more personal and introspective side of the photographer.

Translation: Louise Jablonowska

Zheshen Jiang’s dossier was selected by the jury of “Propositions d’artistes” 2020, an annual call for projects initiated by Contretype.

Website: www.jiangzheshen.com

© Zheshen Jiang, série Manjusaka, 2015, 100 x 150 cm / © Zheshen Jiang, série Manjusaka, 2018, 80 x 120 cm / © Zheshen Jiang, série Manjusaka, 2019, 80 x 120 cm