CAPL Practice 

02: River of Life

Mapping Journeys Through Cyanotype

How might an experience of migration take shape on paper?

The collaborative component of River of Life invited participants to map their emotional journeys of relocation through cyanotype. Each participant placed cut-out shapes along a shared scroll to represent stages of their life, adding words that reflected experiences of adaptation and identity.

These contributions formed a collective composition, bringing different journeys into a shared visual space while retaining the personal meanings of each contribution.

About the Artwork

River of Life is a cyanotype diptych that brings communal and personal perspectives on migration into dialogue.

One scroll holds the collaboratively created map of participants’ journeys. The second features a life-size cyanotype impression of the artist’s own body—a gesture of presence and vulnerability.

Displayed side by side, the scrolls connect individual experience with collective memory, inviting reflection on belonging, resilience, and empathy across cultures.

Artwork Details

Title: River of Life
Artist: Han Qin
Year: 2024
Medium: Cyanotype on paper
Format: Diptych
Dimensions: 27 × 78.5 inches / 69 × 200 cm each