I think we all have our special way of seeing. For instance, if a group of people went to a same location with some cameras, they will all find different views to frame. We might not even see the details some others are so fascinated.
My way of seeing is quite monochrome and also it seems to be getting more and more mimalistic. Maybe it's the flood of information that surrounds us everywhere that creates a need to simplify. Also as a photographer I might take hundreds of images per day. To calm my senses down and avoid feelings of overwhelment, I've had to start consciously blocking myself from seeing too many images per day. I also try to gravitate around places and exhibitons that I desire to be part of my little universe.
This is of course a problem that belongs to our present time. It's the internet and social media that has taken us to a place where mindfulness – a simple way of concentrating fully on a certain moment – has become popular. People are not feeling well, it is almost as if someone else (the algorithms) define what we are involved with.
Therefore it is left for each individual to take the decision making power to themselves and make more conscious judgments of what they are seeing or expose themselves to.
Elina Brotherus, Kitchen (Telephone 2), 2022, from the series Visitor (Villa Didrichsen). Brotherus made me see the entire environment in a whole new perspective. I actually have a lot memories from this beautiful museum, since I worked as a curator there for a decade ago.
So what are the places to get focused and find the inspiration?
I can answer only from my own perspective. I would recommend buying/loaning a magazine you like or a book (like in good old times), wheather it is about photography, art, fashion, architecture, gardening etc. That certainly helps for the overwhelment, when you automatically concentrate without the need to jump from a tab or a link to another.
Hans Op de Beeck: The Quiet Parade / Amos Rex
A very important thing for me is to visit art exhibitions. There are so many studies about the healing impacts of art. Art truly is good for the soul! That doesn't mean that art should be easy, quite the opposite, since good art opens realms beyond thinking and challenge us to see even difficult issues. Art is like a beard moss that tells in years advance the subconscious tendences of our time. Before written in words, art just shows the future in so many ways.
My interpretation of the artwork by Hans Op de Beeck, Dancer, 2019. The exhibition 'The Quiet Parade' can be seen until 26 Feb 2023 in Amos Rex -museum in Helsinki.
I've also found a calming realm from traditional film photography (that is not surprisingly becoming more and more popular nowadays). When you have a very limited amount of images to take, it does demand more concentrating. And you have to wait for the results... But it can easily be something else that brings you joy and helps to shut down the smart devices. To make conscious decisious not to spend your daily hours with something you don't actually want to.
I have chosen three very different art exhibitions as an examples for this blog. All of which highly moved me:
Hans Op de Beeck: The Quiet Parade / Amos Rex Art museum, open until 26th Feb
Elina Brotherus – Visitor (Villa Didrichsen) / Didrichsen Art Museum, open until 28th May
Anita Jensen – Unfoldind The Scrolls of Life Between The Times and Places / MUJI Small gallery, open until 26th Feb
