Hi there – it’s been a while, hasn’t it?
Apologies for the 2-month hiatus – things have been busy, hectic and complicated in my world as of late (as I’m sure it has been with you too). Turns out I was much busier during my break than during the semester (I know, what?) and still caught up in life for the month after that – I’ve barely had time to sit down and write/do stuff. As always, time has eluded me and flown past like lightning; my memories are a blur and life is a flurry, but I’ve (kind of) rested and I’m back to share with you people lingering on the interweb what I’ve been up to – to show you the pretty pictures I’ve been taking, the places I’ve been visiting, the thoughts I’ve been thinking, all whilst trying to juggle life and its inherent pain, uncertainty, and relentless pursuit of purpose and happiness.
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Apart from the short blurb I have under the about tab, I realised that you probably don’t know that much about me (unless you’re a friend). So while I catch you up on life, I thought why not tell you more about myself? (As I’m sure you’d be interested to read – or not.)
First thing’s first, my name (of course) is Emily Ung.
I am many things – a daughter; a sister; a granddaughter; a friend; a student; a photographer; a poet; a writer; a creative; an optimist; a perfectionist; a dweller; a thinker; an adventurer; a seeker – but underneath that all, I’m your not-so-average girl. I know that sounds like I’m being arrogant, but I say that because I’ve had many unique experiences that I don’t think many can comprehend or begin to relate to. Of course I’m not the only one going through vaguely similar experiences – as the years go by, I meet an increasing number of people whom I share common experiences with, and crossing paths with them never fails to remind me that I’m not alone, and that my feelings aren’t all that abnormal or taboo.
But let’s just rewind for a moment as I fill you in with some background information: I currently live in Sydney – where I call home but also where it pains me to be. Over the course of 21 years I’ve lived in three countries, namely New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore – where I spent the bulk of my teenage years growing up. I feel strongly attached to all three places, and all three I call home. My father is Cambodian and my mother Malaysian, and that effectively makes me a third culture kid. Although I’ve been moving around, change is still something I’m getting used to – change is always a constant, and it never is easy. As my wise friend Jovi once told me, “We’re all creatures of habit”, and I always manage to find comfort in this truth.
Now on photography: I first started taking photos around 7 or 8 years ago, but only really started pursuing photography as a creative outlet 4 years ago, and rekindling my love for film photography in the last year or so. As you may have noticed, I photograph a little bit of everything – people, landscapes, textures, flowers, floors, doors, details, seas, scenery, and the list goes on. I like to photograph moments and memories; the people, places and things I want to remember or find interesting. While the subject matter I photograph might change and evolve as I grow as a person and photographer, I think the emotions captured in my images remain consistent – that being a sense of dreamy nostalgia. My photography is a work in progress, and I know full well that I’m no expert, but I am the best at what I do – in a sense that I go about photography in my own unique style – and I will keep trying to do better. If I were to briefly describe my visual work, I would say it has a soft, nostalgic and dreamy aesthetic (but I would love to hear what you think, so let me know in the comments below!)
Funnily enough, poetry actually found me at quite a young age. My earliest memory of encountering poetry was when I was 6 years old, as a year 1 student at Parramatta North Public School. My teacher, Ms Teasdale, had assigned us the task of writing an acrostic poem about spring (one of those poems where each line begins with a letter in the word ‘spring’). I wrote mine, and when I took my piece up to show her, she liked it so much so that she gave me a sticker and sent me off to all the other classes to share it with the rest of the school. Till this day I still remember that poem by heart – I remember the rhythm in those six lines; the happiness and pride I felt to share my words with other people. Subsequently, I wrote a couple more short poems accompanied by colour pencil drawings, which were then exhibited and awarded the principal’s award! Later on in Secondary School, I found a love for literature and my passion for poetry blossomed from there. Seven years later and here I am – creating and expressing myself the way I know best.
If you’ve read my poetry, it’s quite obvious that I write from a place of heartache and pain – and I probably don’t realise enough just how much those sentiments actually show through. I put into words whatever it is I’m feeling and try to give structure to my scattered thoughts. Sometimes I start with a string of words, other times a fleeting feeling, or a stinging sight. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m writing about until I reach the end of it, sometimes I reach the end of a poem and I’m still as clueless as when I started. Sometimes I make realisations, sometimes I find the answers, and other times I don’t. Whichever the outcome, pursuing a train of thought and being compelled to thoroughly anaylse those thoughts (while subconsciously trying to incorporate literary techniques) forces me to think deeply and search constantly for meaning as I write (and in everyday life).
“This relentless weight of meaning / This unfair promise of always finding pattern where there need not be any”,
as Sarah Kay encapsulates ever so accurately in her spoken word poem, ‘Useless Bay’ (which you can watch here, and I greatly urge you to do so – it will hopefully give you a glimpse into the life and mind of a poet).
People are generally quite surprised when I tell them I’m a poet (I think because it’s quite uncommon in this day and age) – whether or not that surprise is a pleasant one I am unsure. I get asked about what inspires my writing and where my words come from: the short answer is that I write from personal experience, interweaved with imagination and inspired by everything and anything around me – even the most mundane and unnoticeable of occurrences. I write poems to navigate through the hallways of my thoughts, attempting to reconcile confusion and clarity.
I write poetry because it’s my therapy.
Apart from taking photos and penning poems, I love going to cafés – often to eat alone, sip on coffee, people-watch and write. I visit art galleries/museums/exhibitions; I like to vibe out and dance to live music. I spend a lot of time in bed; I sleep too much and stay up way too late. My family and friends are most important – my unwavering pillars of strength and support – and I love to spend as much time as I can with them. I have a plethora of bad habits and outstanding flaws, but they manage to put up with them. I lust for wander; I would love to travel the world, maybe one day. I am a sucker for the cheesy and cliché – a lover of sappy romcoms, chick flicks and dramas. I swoon over pretty things, good design and the aesthetically pleasing. I love markets, fashion, and even mathematics. I play sports (basketball, touch football, badminton, swimming etc.), although not so much at the moment. I’m a mess of dichotomies, always lingering in two extremities. I steer away from the mainstream. I will always keep loving; I will always give and give, and give. I’m full of surprises; I’m what you least expect. I’m all these things and more – beyond what I could ever put in words or on paper.
If you’ve read this far, thank you and congratulations (AHAHAHAH). I hope you’ve enjoyed following me on my journey thus far, and will continue to come along for the ride (would mean so much to me if you popped your email in on the homepage and subscribed to receive updates!).
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A new photo of blooming magnolias marks the beginning of a new year – noise and nuance turned one at the end of August! (My favourite flowers bloom in winter – I wonder what that says about me?) I plan to give the site a little revamp and change things up a little, so stay tuned for that x
And so, this is where I’m at now: over the past 2 months I’ve had some work exhibited at the inaugural ARTas 2016 in Singapore, and showcased my first collection entitled ‘Lost and Finding’ at RAW: Sydney presents REVEAL – both such amazing opportunities that I’m very thankful for. I’ve currently suspended my course at university (which would come as a surprise to those who know me), with plans to transfer to a new course next year in pursuit of my passions as a creative. I recently landed an exciting internship, concurrently taking on new jobs and experiences to learn and grow from. I’ve still been creating and meeting new and wonderful people, while also spending quality time alone and with loved ones. Still so much backlog of photos and poems to share here, so going ahead I hope to have more time to write and get them out! Just under 2 weeks ago, I celebrated my 21st birthday – and while it’s been daunting to think about, the world is now my oyster and I’m going to take it on with utmost fervour. I don’t have everything figured out yet, and that’s completely ok. I’ve long come to terms with failing and disappointing myself. As life would have it, I’m taking a massive detour, but I know I’ll eventually get there, and that’s all that matters – as long as I’m enjoying every step of the journey. I don’t have all the answers, and that’s ok. It’s ok not to be ok. I’ve come a long way but there’s still some time before my wounds close and I make a full recovery – I have no intention to rush the process if I want to let go completely, and let go properly. As I’ve always said,
“Let Live, Let Love.”
And now that I’ve caught you up – run along, hustle, and I’ll see you back here soon xx
With love, Emily