Junyao Yi

"Our language has wisely sensed these two sides of man’s being alone. It has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone. Although, in daily life, we do not always distinguish these words, we should do so consistently and thus deepen our understanding of our human predicament."

-- Paul Tillich, The Eternal Now, 1963

What does solitude mean to you?
What are we afraid of when we are alone?
Can you truly enjoy a solitary moment?

“ENOLA” (written backwards of the word “ALONE”) expresses the idea of a different perspective on loneliness that can hold a positive connotation. It generates complex feelings and experiences in different spatial conditions; a celebration of freedom, a quiet moment for inner peace, a chance to meet ourselves and emotionally (re)connect...

I am striving for the emancipation of being alone in the city. ENOLA provides multiple articulated spaces where being alone can be enjoyed, as an escape from the omnipresent urban noise and crowds. I use my daily routine in Guangzhou, the capital and most populous city of the province of Guangdong in southern China, as an example to show the fast-paced and overwhelming life I’ve had and how solitary moments could be involved.

ENOLA is an alternative for people to slow down and enjoy the moment with themselves in the city. I am inspired by nature scenes I experienced when I was traveling alone and to bring these back to the city life. Combining the certain urban context, ENOLA will provide a series of new perspectives of the urban experience.