Passage of Time
“In Stillness time moves on. Though we may be hesitant to acknowledge the fact. I stand still in this room, breathe in and let my pulse tick with light. ”
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Monika Drabot’s interest in photography has led her to a fascination with exploring light and how the action of controlling it can cause abstracts to become reality; to create new worlds and alter the perceptions of what we see in the finished print, vs what was originally photographed. With this exhibition the intention is to immerse people beyond what the camera can capture and portray. Viewers can interact and connect with the parts familiar to them, and activate the artwork by creating experiences in the space and being a part of it. To move beyond the 2D print to installation work that involves the viewer in a physical way and not just as a passive observer. Passage of Time encourages us to take a moment to reflect and engage with pieces that mirror the stages of life and inspire some of that sense of wonder we so often lose as we grow. Monika would like to thank Vikki Gray for taking the time to help her through the process of curating the exhibition and lending her writing skills to communicate the project. Thank you to Marcel Lenormand for the technical expertise to create the light installation. Many Thanks to Guernsey Arts and Guernsey Arts Foundation for sponsoring the exhibition.
Developing Thoughts
Abstract and colourful, this piece focuses on the first stage of life where you cannot really comprehend what is around you – using the camera lens to reduce images to vague shapes and orbs of light with a focus on movement and travelling from one space to another. These circles of light are like balls of energy; natural elements and people all merging and passing each other in continuous loop.
Childhood
Simple wooden shapes showcase childhood and the ability to use imagination and create with freedom. Each viewer has the same pieces to create their own design or choose to build or alter images that are already started – we are all born with the same potential and people change and influence each other as they develop and connect with others to form patterns in their lives.
Actions
Actions
This piece showcases our impact on each other and how our actions create an immediate reaction to many, it will only be a fleeting impression no matter how hard we try. Whether you choose to gently press or harshly punch the piece of memory foam, you will see your action play out and then the marks quickly fade away.
Memory
Observations of life around you; snapshots of just existing. The strange, the familiar, the everyday. The mosaic of the human mind. Each photograph has been printed from film with the negative pinned behind it. You can buy an image (all proceeds to the arts in Guernsey) and leave no record of it behind as the ‘memory’ is removed from the wall.
The Road Walked
Finding that connection in life – the shoes gathered like a crowd or a community – a group of familiar strangers. The white colour brings uniformity and anonymity, bringing out the features and wear and tear without pattern or colour in the way. You become part of the crowd as your shadow falls across the shoes and interacts with their space.
Reflection
The beginning, middle and end of the day – serene but almost eerily calm images that play on our instinctual connection with the light, water and air that life ultimately comes from. The mirrored sections reflect you and the other life stages in the room as the elongated images act like doorways, drawing you peacefully in to the light.
Circle of Life
One hundred discs signifying one hundred years of human life. Each section is a significant piece of a single life; merging together to form the bright halo of the soul as it comes full cycle. The light travels around the circle in a path of renewal as one life ends and another begins.