Yellow Daylily, 2023, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 12"x 9"
-Luna, we'd love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today, both personally and as an artist.
Thank you so much for having me!
I was born in a small coastal city in northern China. Unlike many artists who grew up dreaming of becoming an artist or photographer, I didn’t have such aspirations as a child, nor does anyone in my family work in the arts. In fact, for a long time, I wanted to study history and hoped to pursue a related career in the future.
By chance, when applying for college, I got the opportunity to study photography at the Beijing Film Academy, majoring in commercial photography. During my time there and after graduation, I tried working as a commercial photographer for some time but eventually realized that the profession wasn’t for me.
I spent some time grappling with a question that had been troubling me: “Am I simply not suited for photography at all, or is it just commercial photography that isn’t the right fit?” Ultimately, I decided not to change my field entirely but instead to study abroad to explore the possibilities within photographic art. From 2017 to the end of 2021, I spent more than four years at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I earned my MFA. During this time, I completed a long-term project, Moon Phase: The Moments Between Wax and Wane, which documented and narrated my struggle as someone living with depression.
After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles, where I currently work at The Scholart Selection as a photographer and visual designer while continuing to create art. During this time, I developed a strong interest in experimental photography and traditional photographic materials. This led me to use lumen prints as my primary medium, incorporating flowers collected from daily life. Now, lumen printing is one of my main creative approaches, but I look forward to exploring more ways of working with traditional darkroom materials in the near future.
Floral Crown, 2022, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 10"x 8"
-How do you decide on the duration of exposure for each piece? Is it a precise calculation or more intuitive?
Honestly, I don’t have a fixed exposure time. It can be as short as a day or as long as two or three days. To be honest, I currently prefer the effects of longer exposures because the moisture from the plants and flowers stays in contact with the paper for a longer time, allowing it to better react with the chemical coating on the paper. During the exposure process, I repeatedly check and confirm the progress, using the visual effect to decide whether the exposure is complete.
However, I’d like to clarify that such long exposure times are not a necessity for creating lumen prints (I’d hate for my description to discourage readers interested in trying this technique—several hours with the help of lights are typically enough). The reason for my longer exposure times is that I rely solely on sunlight, without using UV lamps or other artificial light sources. I also aim to let the process happen as naturally as possible—the more natural, the better.
Clytostoma I, 2022, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 10"x 8"
-You mention the passage of time as a theme. Do you feel like time itself becomes a 'material' in your work, similar to light and paper?
Absolutely, and I’m glad you asked this question! I’ve always felt that photography is inherently an art form about time. It captures a moment, preserving a second that has passed and can never be returned to, yet once existed.
On that foundation, I believe the process of creating lumen prints and their resulting images is essentially a recording and compression of time. To achieve these results, time is an indispensable component. While time flows and passes, it simultaneously leaves its mark on the paper, which I find incredibly beautiful.
Untitled Flowers, 2023, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 10"x 8"
-Has working with such a delicate and impermanent medium changed your perspective on control, acceptance, or letting go?
I think so, although I’ve also become quite accustomed to this kind of creative approach, where many things are beyond my control. This is because I used to be deeply fascinated by pinhole film photography, which shares many similarities: the inability to fully predict the final outcome, limited control, and a relatively high failure rate.
I don’t see these as drawbacks but rather as characteristics of the medium. As for the finished works, I think the results are entirely worth the wait and anticipation. I also believe this is a way to train the mind—learning to make the most of limited control and seeing how much I can predict and achieve within those constraints.
White Roses #2, 2023, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 10"x 8"
-What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have to admit that I’m a bit lazy and not very diligent about updating my personal website www.lunahao.com (though I know I should be...), so if you enjoy my work, please follow me on Instagram @luna___hao!
For me personally, one of the fundamental reasons I keep creating is that I see it as a bridge for communication with the outside world. As someone who isn’t very articulate, I often say, “Everything I want to express is already in my work.” I’m always looking forward to the conversations and unpredictable interactions that a piece of work might inspire. So, if anyone wishes to connect, I’d be delighted to share my thoughts!
Statement
I am faced with memories that tend to fade over time. Through this realization, I want to convey the fragility of life and encourage others to reflect on how time leaves its mark on our recollections. This leads to a conversation about the growth and decay of flowers and the interplay between memory and the passage of time. I am reminded of the inevitable fading of these memories over time, just like the gradual disappearance of images in a Lumen print. It prompts a dialogue about the ephemerality of life, the fleeting nature of memories, and the impact of time on our experiences.
Tulip #1, 2024, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 12"x 8"
Bio
Clytostoma II, 2022, digital scanning of unfixed lumen print, 10"x 8"
Lingxue (Luna) Hao is a photographer from China who is now based in LA. After graduating from Beijing Film Academy, she worked as a food photographer for two years. While studying photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design, she turned her focus to telling stories through the camera. She is particularly interested in finding beauty from the ordinary and mundane and creating a virtual diary based on everyday love, loss, and reflection.