Fortune Seeking

 You are cautious in showing your true self to others
fs_heading in right direction
You are heading in the right direction
winter comes
If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
A true friend of yours will always listen to your secrets
A true friend of yours will always listen to your secrets
The night life is for you
The night life is for you
You are full of hopes about your future.
You are full of hopes about your future.
You enjoy giving the gift of yourself to others, you will be rewarded!
You enjoy giving the gift of yourself to others, you will be rewarded!
You will discover the truth in time.
You will discover the truth in time.
Susan Malmstrom In every enterprise, consider the outcome.
In every enterprise, consider the outcome.
You are the center of any group's attention.
You are the center of any group’s attention.
What makes an apple fall to the ground?
What makes an apple fall to the ground?
You are demonstrative with those you love.
You are demonstrative with those you love.
There is a true and sincere friendship between you both
There is a true and sincere friendship between you both
You will soon be crossing the great waters.
You will soon be crossing the great waters.
Susan Malmstrom You may attend a party where strange customs prevail.
You may attend a party where strange customs prevail.
Well arranged time is a good sign of a well arranged mind.
Well arranged time is a good sign of a well arranged mind.
What is the distance between the eyes and the soul
What is the distance between the eyes and the soul
Avert misunderstanding by calm poise and balance
Avert misunderstanding by calm poise and balance

Each image in the series Fortune Seeking started with a fortune saved from a fortune cookie. These individual fortunes were used as the basis and creative direction for each photocollage and are embedded within each work.  The relative proportion of each photograph is based on the average fortune cookie fortune dimension: 1:4.5.  The finished print size is 6″ x 28″.  (To see the images larger on the web, visit my flickr page.)

The fortunes themselves, scraps of paper, printed with purportedly “ancient words of wisdom,” were collected from hundreds of meals eaten in Asian restaurants over the last twenty years.  I cannot explain my fascination for the fortunes, or why my collecting them became something of an obsession—resulting in an inability to throw them away—but their appeal seems to be worldwide (for example, they are prized in Brazil for their seeming ability to provide lottery players with winning numbers).  According to Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, they have an enigmatic history, which most likely began in Japan and largely unheard of in mainland China.

The mystery of their origin only adds to their fascination for me.

 

Photographic Art / Digital Imagery