"Merry Christmas, Mr. Sapién" is a photography series that explores an adapted version of the holiday celebration, drawing inspiration from my cultural discovery and romantic partnership. The title nods to the war film "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," yet the concept is rooted in the journey of finding and celebrating the Christmas spirit within a transcultural relationship.
Born and raised in China, Christmas was initially introduced to me as a Western celebration. My early impressions of the holiday were shaped by its distant allure and my family's limited adherence to the holiday spirit, which was gift-giving. It wasn't until I met my Mexican-American partner that I experienced the full warmth and joy of the season. Gavin favors Christmas exclusively over any other holiday. From making his own ornaments to yule log making, he goes all out. Two years ago, he introduced me to his family and their Christmas traditions. One year later, I decided to surprise him with a unique Christmas card featuring me as a human Christmas tree with ornaments.
This lighthearted project pushed me creatively, leading me to experiment with multiple exposures on a large format camera, resulting in a s
