The Reciprocity of Light and Life: Insights from Ava Valsten
“I am astonished how loneliness sometimes can look at the world. Anyone can tell me that “this is a flower”, but I think, no, the flower is a result of life, suffering as an insight. An insight into the involuntary in all the kind of attention that "I" can not control (and never can), which is associated with the way a camera throws out flashes in a room and temporarily illuminates those who happen to be there.
Therefore, I look at these pictures as an image of me. No one knows in advance who will be highlighted, how much and why. Then I thought about the science-based relationship between light and distance, reciprocity effect and the sensitivity of the photographic material to light. The scientific relationships are given and open to anyone to share. The selected papers were exposed (for many hours) to the shining of the red light and became portraits of every human (perceived) redness. In the developer, the "redness" was reinforced with small white light gestures. The evolving ability of the light regardless of wavelength (white or red) is compatible with the degree of attention we face in our lives. We look without knowing in what way. See you. Not as an explosion of "Fame" but, as in a shining of eternity, surrendered to eternal exposure.” -Ava
Selected artworks from the shop
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