5 am
Artist: Yingshan "Nicole" Wei
Digital Photograph
August 4, 2023
Revere Beach, Massachusetts
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As dawn begins and a new day arrives, so do new beginnings and possibilities. Sometimes, waking up to an early alarm to gain fresh perspective is what we need.
In this photograph, the pale pinks and blues of a sunrise blend together seamlessly and emit a feeling of serenity over the sleepy world. The solitary clock in the center of the frame signals the early hour as a plane passes by directly overhead. In several moments, the plane will be gone; But, for one perfect moment, they are aligned. Two people stand to the right of the clock, watching the early morning tide roll in lazily.
Man made elements and nature are contrasted. The beach and sky have existed long before any of us, but the clock and plane are technological inventions that have served to emphasize our place in a fast-paced society. With new human needs buzzing around rapidly and trying each day to pull everything together, the value of a peaceful morning or merely a peaceful moment is unmatched.
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Yingshan "Nicole" Wei is a member of the Class of 2024, majoring in both Biology and Studio Arts.
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“We woke up at 4:40am and drove to Revere Beach to see the sunrise. However, it was a cloudy day, so we did not see the sun, but we saw a pink sky! The airport is nearby so planes were flying over the sea, and I got to capture the exact moment when the plane lined up with the lamppost.”
-Yingshan “Nicole” Wei
Article by: Liv Hardenburg