Tong Wei

“Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I gaze calmly at the southern hills.” In this line, the ancient Chinese poet Tao Yuanming expresses a state of inner peace and freedom found within ordinary life—as an artist I have spoken with women whose independence is not completely defined by the outside world.Many unnoticed women quietly pursue their own form of tranquility. They are not swayed by external expectations, but devote themselves to sustaining their lives with quiet strength and dignity.

In contrast, the contemporary image of the “independent woman,” widely consumed and celebrated in popular culture, often seems superficial— shaped by trend and media narratives. Through the interplay of photography and text, my work seeks to resist such hollow representations, returning attention to the body, emotion, and experiences of women who embody independence through their daily labour , yet remain unseen.

The meaning of the publication Inside is, in essence, a way of seeing. It invites us to enter these hidden lives, to witness the solitude, resilience, and complex emotions within women’s lives.