In June 2024, I photographed my friend Kailin on a rooftop in Downtown LA, dressed in a modern cheongsam against the glow of city lights. The mood was dreamlike, suspended in time. It seems as if the essence of Wong Kar-wai’s cinematic aesthetic has taken permanent residence in my heart, coloring all my artistic perceptions and visions. Or perhaps it is the rhythmic sway of Brazilian zouk intertwined with the vibrant pulse of Downtown LA that shapes my creative soul.