“Presence through Absence” I – “Hand”

A human pays a lot of attention to what surrounds one at the exact moment, but sometimes the stronger influence has on us not the presence, but rather the absence of someone or something. Although absence, unlike presence, has an intangible dimension, it is a significant factor in our being. A person often truly begins to notice and appreciate someone or something when he/she loses it, when he/she feels this absence, which appears becomes more expressive, valued presence.

During the war, there are many losses: from the smallest material losses, through mental losses (calm, peace), to the most precious which is life. Absence materializes into presence through the pain of losing something dear and valuable. However, what is absent can materialize itself and become joy/joyful feeling when difficult and terrible times pass and disappear.

Some works are based on two symbols out of rather a large-scale project: ” Presence through absence “.

The works are accomplished on wooden surface covered with colored plastic mass with through-cut fragments, which should appear as symbols indicating a certain absence. Depending on the background on the plane, these symbols may change slightly in perception. It is obvious that each person is able to interpret symbols differently.

For example, one of the variants of perception: The symbol “hand up” indicates our desire for the spiritual essence. The symbol “hand directed to the right” indicates our openness, which is still important to someone, or in other possible interpretation no longer needed. The symbol “the hand directed to the left” is the hand of the support/help, which we need or have necessity for, or we have lost this support/help.