Glimmers (2023) photography / encaustic medium
The autumn is in full swing, the evenings are drawing out, the darkness is pushing upwards and outwards. We look for light and warmth, clinging onto any glimmer we come upon. A glimmer is also a word used by some psychologists to refer to moments of pleasure, flow, connection when you feel whole and wholesome; the exact opposite of a trigger if you like. Being able to spot those cues and dropping into your body to fully experience such moments of joy and safety can help to rewire our nervous system, leading to emotional regulation. In the series called ‘Glimmers’ presented at London Photo Show, I’m looking for light and warmth in the landscape but also for joy and safety the creative flow brings me into.
I used intentional camera movement as a way of enabling a more emotional and embodied response to the glimmering landscape. The images were then printed onto Japanese Kozo paper, which despite its thinness has strong fibres – this is to reflect the hope of psychological reprogramming toward a more resilient and happier self. I then encased the prints in beeswax mixed with resin, an ancient technique used in encaustic painting. Using hot wax to seal the image in symbolises the much sought-after warmth but also a way of memorialising an experience, a glimmer, and imprinting it onto our psychological make-up to balance existential doubts and concerns.
***
Ania Rolińska is a self-taught fine art photographer and artist based in Glasgow, Scotland. Through using a range of creative photography and editing techniques, such as ICM, multiple exposures, long exposures, textural effects, as well as combining photography with other media, she operates at the boundaries of the photographic medium. She is interested in the value of creativity and the creative process for self-growth and a more mindful, slower and fulfilled life, connected with self, nature and others.
Instagram: anzbau
