Featured in this gallery are works from two distinct, but visually and ontologically related series, “Plexus” and “Unternächte”. “Plexus” is a photographic study of still lives that emerge from inherited trauma and post-memory, following the death of the artist’s grandmother. Through this series the artist reconnects the fragmentary history of her female lineage and confronts a past spanning across four generations, examining ideas around post-memory, mental health, war, and history.
“Unternächte”, on the other hand, reflects on the period between Winter Solstice and Epiphany in Bavaria – a time known in parts of Southern Germany and Austria as “Rauhnächte”. It comprises the last six nights of the old year, and the first six nights of the new year. During this time, life and death, light and darkness meet, and a door opens to the otherworld. The “Unternächte” are a metaphor for our lives, a reminder, and an opportunity for introspection. Exploring ideas of rituality, magic, divination, dreams and clairvoyance, the artist holds in tension old family myths and history with new rituals she seeks to create with her camera and experiences.
Elena Helfrecht
My mentorship session with Edgar Martins was incredibly helpful and motivating. I was provided with a broad range of industry expertise, references for moving my practice forward, and lots of practical knowledge that rarely gets taught at art schools!
