The Breathe Journal and other stories
Drazenka Jalsic Ernecic
Senior Curator / Photolucida Critical Mass 2023 Pre-Screener / Contributing Editor at Lenscratch.com
Dong Dai of 2021
Dra?enka Jal?i? Erne?i? | DEC 25, 2021
I don’t feel like a Christmas gathering today. Instead, as a curator, I need to point few photo moments of 2021. The truth is that one beautiful image may be all that we need at the moment, a visual story or Zenish visualization. A long time ago, I realized that fine art photographers feel more intense, and now and then, I feel the urge to put a few words on the paper/online about ideas, stories, or artistic struggles that make me think. End of the year and Christmas seems to be a perfect time to point to my photo friends and their works.
?In 2021 photographers I know have been thinking quite a bit about their art and craft from both micro and macro level, exploring the meaning of photography while also seeing why they are drowning in the experience of making photography. Last year was hard and this year brought sacrifices and heartbreaks all over again. We lived another year to remember with less patience and lack of inner peace, vaccinated but still not safe. It seems for a moment that we survived, trying hard to organize hoards in our lives, heads, cabinets, and drawers. It seems we settled all books and dresses by colors and numbers, different collections in boxes, and all our photos we put in frames and albums instead of leaving our dystopian future online and basking through the social network, just kidding. As we slow down, we take a closer look at things we usually overlook, and somehow we not because we missed people, gatherings, and human interactions. Photographers and photo-based artists have been immersed in their inner worlds, searching and choosing between beauty and emotions, destiny and free will. Their answers are profound and pretty beautiful.
?As we reminisce about 2021, it might be hard to tell what we wanted. It seems that we weren’t swallowing the red pill as we were supposed to. Instead, we chew it slowly, tasting the bitter-sweet desperation of the present, waiting for the glass of water. Or wine. It seems we all process things differently, and photography can’t hide the differences between people from Venus and Mars, no matter what gender they seem to be.
?At the end of the year, we are only human. We can’t escape from ourselves.?
Figure 1
? Kelli Pennington, No 58, from the Breathe Journal, 2021
Portland, OR
@kellipenningtonphoto
Figure 2
? Yelena Zhavoronkova, Face Shield from the Contraptions and Solutions, 2020 – 2021
San Francisco, CA
@yzhavoronkova
Figure 3
? Jacqueline Walters, Learning Mandarin No 105 from Lumen Notebooks, 2021
San Francisco, CA
@jacquelinewaltersphotography
?Figure 4
? Ksenija ?panec, Lumen 2 from the Lumen Prints, 2021
Zagreb, HR
@ksenijaspanec
Figure 5
? Galina Kurlat, May 7th from the Used Bathwater, 2021
Brooklyn, NYC
@galinakurlat
Figure 6
? Amanda Beth Marchand, Lumen Circle from the Lumen Notebook, 2017 – 2021
Brooklyn, NYC
@amandabethmarchand
Figure 7
? Jonas Yip, Absorption-003, 2021
Lons Angeles, CA
@jonasyip
Figure 8
? Diane Fenster, Portrait from the Penumbral Epiphanies, 2021
Pacifica, CA
@dianefenster
Figure 9
? Aline Smithson, Fugue State Revisited #10, 2021
Los Angeles, CA
@alinesmithson
?Figure 10
? Laura Valenti, Selfportrait from the Full Awareness of Breathing, 2021
Portland, OR
领英推荐
@valentiphoto
?Figure 11
? Nicoletta Cerasomma, Lucida Mansi – The death of a Diva, 2021
Lucca, Tuscany, IT
@ nicolettacerasomma
Figure 12
? Yvette Marie Dostatni, from My American Dream Series
Chicago, IL
@ymdphoto
?Figure 13
? Fran Forman, Sarah’s Chair, 2021
Watertown, MA; Boston Area
@franforman
?Figure 14
? Sheri Lyn Behr, We Are All Loosing Focus from the Life During Zoomtime, 2021
Bronx, NYC
@slbehr
@photographywithoutpermission
Figure 15
? Debe Arlook, There is an electrical storm in the brain from the Silent Buddha, 2021
Santa Monica, CA
@debearlook
Figure 16
? Robert Gojevic, Cherry blossom from the Fleeting Moments, 2021
Zagreb, HR
@atelier_gojevic
Figure 17
? Maja Strgar Kurecic, Lunaria Rediviva 2, 2020 - 2021
Zagreb, HR
@majastrgar
Figure 18
? Wendi Schneider, Into the Mist IX, 2020 - 2021
Denver, CO
@wendischneiderart
Figure 19
? Sara Silks, from the Prairiefire, 2021
Overland Park, KA
@sara_silks
Figure 20
? Nicolò Sertorio, Simulakrum 18, from the Simulacra Project, 2020 - 2021
Oakland, CA
@nicolosertorio
#PechaKucha2021
?
Award-winning photomontage visual artist, represented by galleries across North America. Top 50 Photo Lucida Critical Mass 2022
2 年Thank you. I'm honored, Drazenka!
Photo-based Artist, and runs Amanda Marchand Artist Advisory - artist coaching/mentoring
2 年Lovely curation of works and words! Thank you, DJ - wonderful to have my work included. Best wishes for the new year!
Nancy A. Scherl Fine Art; Internationally awarded and acclaimed, specializing in Social Commentary and Social Documentary work
2 年What a beautiful curation –congratulations to all!!!
Visual Artist & Collector
2 年Thank you so much, Drazenka! I’m so honored to be included! ??