ANTISTATIC

Antistatic (2012)

Antistatic emerged from a vital need to capture the intimate surroundings of my daily life. It began as an act of close observation — a meticulous analysis of the objects and spaces I inhabited. By attempting to view my immediate environment with a certain distance, I sought to reveal an unfamiliar universe hidden within the familiar.

The project evolved organically: at first, the aim was simply to take more photographs and allow the process to guide me. Gradually, the images became sharper, more deliberate, and more intense. At its core, Antistatic explores the relationship between objects, spaces, and the memories they hold. Each photograph preserves these objects as visual fragments of experience — reminders of lived moments, spaces occupied, and traces of our existence.

Light played a defining role in shaping the atmosphere of these works. Rather than harsh or dramatic contrasts, I sought a gentle, enveloping light that softened forms and created an inviting, almost tender environment. Subtle shadows offered space for curiosity, while delicate blurs and unfocused details guided the viewer’s gaze across the image.

The series was created using medium format 6x6 black-and-white film (400 ISO), with a Yashica Mat-124G twin-lens reflex camera, a fixed 80mm lens, and no artificial light sources. Initially, I would shoot and immediately develop and print the images. Later, my approach shifted: I photographed extensively, developed the rolls, and scanned the negatives, adapting to circumstances when the Arteleku laboratory was flooded and its darkroom equipment became unusable.

Antistatic is both a personal archive and an invitation to reconsider the subtle, often overlooked connections between memory, space, and the everyday.