I don’t notice much about the full moon anymore. Does it still shine as bright? Does its ringing white light still seem surreal in the lonely, dark blue sky? Do the whispers of a rabbit, making the elixir of immortality on the moon, still reverberate as the graceful shadow of a woman flies by — perhaps to meet with her lover? I still wonder about it all, but everything has changed. I have forgotten that special taste of mooncakes and that mystery of the story of “Chang’e Flying to the Moon.” I can’t exactly recall those moments during the Mid-Autumn Festival when everyone was there, sitting at a table full of my favorite foods, vibrantly laughing and talking.

When I can’t remember, I go back to a time when little me was holding my first mooncake, thinking I was having a second birthday. The flowery mooncake was filled with salted egg yolk and red bean paste. It was so pretty I didn’t dare eat it, and I thought I’d never see a more beautiful birthday cake. As my twin sister and I sat around the table full of different mooncakes, gazing up at the big, round moon, our mom told us for the first time, “宝贝儿，这是中 秋节。过这个节日的时候，我们吃月饼，我们赏 月，我们团圆” (Baby, this is the Mid-Autumn Festival. During this holiday, we eat mooncakes, we admire the moon, and we reunite).

A 3,000 year-old tradition, with an ancient and misty origin, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays to people of Chinese descent. Eating mooncakes and gazing up at the full moon is our way of praying for a good harvest. Romantically speaking, it is also a celebration of the reunion of the archer Hou Yi and his wife, the moon goddess Chang’e.

The legend tells that after being awarded with the elixir of immortality for saving the citizens by shooting down nine of the ten suns, Hou Yi gives the precious liquid to his wife Chang’e for safekeeping. Yet one day, Chang’e accidentally swallows the elixir of immortality as she tries to protect it from a thief. The power of the elixir causes her mortal body to become so light that she floats up to the moon and becomes the moon goddess. She is thus separated from Hou Yi — immortal, but solitary. Heartbroken by Chang’e’s departure, Hou Yi lays her favorite fruits and cakes as offerings, hoping to show how deeply he misses her. Touched by their true love, the Mother of the Moon grants them a yearly reunion on the full moon of the eighth lunar month.

This celebration is not only a time to honor a longstanding story, but also an opportunity to make amends and to create new memories. I used to question why times like this mattered and why it is important to value family. Now I understand: one day, when you want to remember something precious but discover that you have forgotten it, you will search desperately through the dark corners 
of your mind. Maybe distance or time caused the forgetfulness. In the end, you will simply wish you’d appreciated the good moments more.

I often wonder why we choose to approach such a reflective holiday so lavishly and sincerely, as when we eat a specific cake and choose to be with family. It is because in the end, we all remember the love shown to us through the things people did for us, the lengths they went to — not for their wrongs or mistakes — just like how Hou Yi will always be there for Chang’e during the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

When we harvest on the 9th full moon

Click. With the press of one button, one is able to capture the moment, your loved one, a beautiful flower, or simply anything that catches your eye. For Yayla Tur ’22, photography isn’t just a form of media, but “ a peace-making art in its own form of therapy.” With more and more media representation, photography is a great way to capture everyday moments that we often overlook. Perhaps it is artists like Tur and other photographers that allow us to wonder, stay informed, and get inspired. Whether they are using their film camera or their phone, Tur  is able to call attention to the beauty surrounding us.



In a society where almost everything is digital, as a photographer, how do you feel about social media where you are faced with so much fast-paced social media? 

I think in a lot of ways, it can be overwhelming because it’s so overstimulating when there’s so much there. But at the same time, I feel like I’ve connected with different artists I would have never met, and found so many small artists and big artists that have become such inspiration for me. So although it can be a lot, it can also be very inspiring and it’s so exciting to see all those works from different perspectives. 
When do you usually take photos? 

I generally just have a camera with me all the time. I enjoy taking photos all the time constantly rather than having set photoshoots. I like to take photos on the go more, showcasing my day-to-day life. And also when I’m with my friends I try to capture the moments as well. 


Do you prefer taking photos on your phone or your camera?

It depends on what I’m going for. When taking film photos, there’s a different quality to it, especially when I’m going for flash photography, which I’ll always use a film camera for. If it’s on my phone, it’s generally more in quick situations. But also, there are different pros and cons to each. And it all depends on what the subject is going to be, and the quality I want.


Is there a specific platform you use to showcase your work? 

I’d say the most is VSCO, just because that’s where I’ve connected with a lot of artists that do digital photography, and collage. It’s a good way to share your art in a less judgmental space in comparison to Instagram, where you can get compiled likes.


What or who do you like to take photos of most? 

I love taking photos of my friends because I love capturing moments that I really enjoy with them. My friends have become very used to it, they know not to pose and just keep doing what they’re doing. I take a lot of photos of my best friend Helenka, or people I spend a lot of time with. So yeah, generally I think I enjoy taking photos of people the most. I also have a mini-series of just lights in houses from the outside at night. There’s something about the way it shines through the window that I think is really cool. 


What do you do after taking the photos?

So usually, I edit them a bit. It sort of depends on what I’m going for. A lot of times, there will be a photo I really like but it seems like there’s something missing. That’s when I start to collage photos, digitally usually, although I also do traditional collage with paper. Or I’ll combine a photo of something I’ve drawn, digitally layering it. But it all depends on the photo.


I know with oil paint or music, it is very easy to go back and forth and fix your work until you are satisfied with your final product. Does it bother you that with photography there is really no “re-capturing” of the moment?  

It depends. Especially with film, you have to be really frugal with it because you only have so many photos on a roll and developing film is expensive. Sometimes I’ll have photos where one thing is just a little too blurry, a little too this or that. There’s some little mess-up, which can be frustrating but in one way that is part of the beauty of photography. You just keep going, and it’s on the go, and you can’t tweak it in the same way you can painting. Although of course with digital collage, you can edit them to a certain degree, there is something nice about just it being how it is, and you can’t fix it. 


As an artist, how are you able to enjoy your work? Do you think there are advantages with photography over typical traditional art?

One thing with photography, especially with film, it’s nostalgic. Of course, you can look back on your memories, especially with film because it can take a while to finish a whole roll. You can start it in the summer and not finish it or develop it until the winter. And half of them, you won’t be able to look back until you get them developed so you’ll forget you took those photos, you’ll see them and you’re transported back to that time. So it’s definitely really nice to capture them, look back, and be reminded of real-life moments. In a way, it is sort of a peace-making art in its own form of therapy.


When taking a photo, what is your motto or motive?

To a certain degree, trying to capture but also trying to stay in the moment. Not becoming too concerned with taking a photo or taking a perfect photo, especially when I’m with my friends I don’t want to be so focused on taking photos of them. I just want to take it off the side, not people posing for it, me not putting too much of my time, and still getting to enjoy the moment itself.

Student Artist of the Month: Yayla Tur ‘22 captures the moment through photography

Scheduling season at PHS is always hectic. Students scramble to sign up for the most rigorous classes the school has to offer. Many students hope to construct transcripts that only serve to impress colleges, sometimes by taking six or more Advanced Placement classes in a single year. At PHS, it’s no secret that grade anxiety, unbearable workloads, and chronic stress are commonplace. In a school where the students’ merit is often linked to the number of AP courses in their schedule, passions and hobbies can take a back seat. Still, many students who have incorporated the arts into their schedules have found the decision to be a good one. Whether it be the shedding of stress, the opportunity to make new friends, or the discovery of new passions, signing up for a visual & performing arts course can be one of the most worthwhile things one will do in high school.

Arts classes can provide a refuge from the stress and monotony of an average school day. During weeks filled with tests or other nerve-wracking assignments, arts classes are a time to relax and do something stress-free and enjoyable.. Instead of sitting behind a desk all day listening to a seemingly unending string of mind-numbing lectures, you could be helping create an orchestral symphony or painting beautiful landscapes. Through arts classes, you have an hour every day to sit back and forget about academics.

The workload that many PHS students wrestle with can also hinder their social lives. Arts courses can help alleviate this issue — they are a great space for meeting new people. Visual and performing arts classes provide an opportunity to meet other students who share your interests and passions and to craft meaningful, lasting friendships. Joe Bongiovi, an instrumental music teacher at PHS, often says that “band is like a family.” In band, students spend hours rehearsing together in and out of school. Whether that be in the band room at Tiger Time or at someone’s house on the weekends, students always find a way to rehearse, jam, and bond. Many students stay in arts classes such as visual arts, Drama, band, and orchestra for multiple years in high school, allowing for deeper bonds to form between students and teachers. In visual arts classes, students are often left to their own devices, and small talk serves as the perfect backdrop for the making of an art piece. In the performing arts, friendships are further solidified by the performances that the programs hold, which can form long-lasting memories. Twenty years from now, it’ll be the memories of the band trip or your solo in the school musical that you’ll cherish the most, not the final exam that you took for your AP Calculus class.

Arts classes are less stressful than almost every other course at PHS. Generally, it is not hard to earn a good grade in an arts class, but that’s not to say that these classes don’t require students to work hard. Learning an instrument, for example, takes months of consistent practice. So does learning to paint, to sing, or to act on stage. Still, this is a virtue — unlike regular classes, where it is common for students to cram for tests the day before and forget the content quickly, arts courses show students how to work towards long-term goals. By way of slow, gradual improvement, lifelong passions are born. Students learn how to find motivation and continue working even without the constant threat of an upcoming test or a bad grade. Maybe you have a natural talent for dance which has been unknown to you, or a love for music which you’ve never been able to fully explore. There are classes at PHS that can help you gain the skills needed to explore those passions. Genuine enjoyment, instead of good grades, is what should drive you in these classes.

Putting an arts class into your schedule is an easy way to provide respite from the day-to-day pressures of school. Students in arts classes often look forward to them all day and don’t want them to end — a sharp contrast to many AP courses, which can be a source of dread. Your schedule should not be curated solely to please a third party, like a college or parent. It should be built not only to fulfill your academic ambitions, but also to make you happy and set you up to enjoy your high school experience. Signing up for a visual & performing arts class takes a big step towards this goal, and is something everyone at PHS should consider.

Angela Wu's Work