29. 1. – 8. 3. 2025
MELANIN JE SPOMIN / MELANIN KE MOHOPOLO
Fotografska razstava portretov žensk Južne Afrike ujete za hip vsem danega življenja – svobodnega, enakopravnega, močnega in še močnejšega. Področje, ki ga avtorica raziskuje ima korenine lastnega notranjega sveta z doživljanjem daljnega, z nehvaležne pozicije evrocentričnosti, a nujnim pogledom k svetovnosti. Portreti so ločeni od tega sveta, črno-beli a popolnoma enaki tistim, ki ne vidijo barv.
Kot poseben in simboličen fotografski medij si je avtorica izbrala bombaž, fotografije so tako še bolj organske in naravne. Bombažna tkanina na katerih so tiskane fotografije so spomini zasužnjenih polj. Barva njihovega sodobnega življenja je skupaj v tem spominu še vedno črno (kot koža) – bela (kot bombaž). Sodobnost in preteklost se imata v razstavljenih fotografijah možnost najti v uporu močnih žensk z željo po svetlenju vseh barv življenja. Strastnost življenja pod ekvatorjem, njihovo doživljanje sveta je namreč popolnoma drugačno od našega, z vidika nenehnega boja in vzpostavljanja pravic.
Njihov spomin je melanin, barva pokornosti, ki naj bi raje in z nujo v današnjem svetu bila ponosna, vidna. V luči okoliščin našega vsakdana in sveta v uporu žensk in podob, ki smo jim priča – od dvignjenih pesti do striženja las. Kako bomo doživljali svoje spomine, če pa jih z nenehnim strinjanjem in konsenzi niti ne ustvarjamo. Tjašina zgodba portretov tistega sveta vedno in znova opominja na spomine preteklosti ter opozarja, prevprašuje naslednje – kje si človek, če svojega bližnjega ne prepoznaš v barvah svojega spomina?
Neža Pavšič
MELANIN IS A MEMORY / MELANIN KE MOHOPOLO
A photography exhibition that features portraits of South African women, capturing a moment in their free, equal, strong, and stronger lives. The subject explored by the author has its roots in her own inner world, in experiencing remoteness, from an ungrateful Eurocentric position but nevertheless adopting a necessary worldly view. The portraits are disassociated from this world black-and-white, yet simultaneously exactly the same when viewed by the colourblind.
The artist has opted for a unique and symbolic photographic medium – cotton – making the photographs even more organic and natural. The cotton fabric on which the photographs are printed hearken back to slave plantations. In this memory, the colour of their contemporary life remains both black (like skin) and white (like cotton). The present and the past have the ability to come together in the showcased photographs as the rebellion of strong women wishing to lighten all of life’s colours. The passion of life under the Equator and their perception of the world is completely different from ours in terms of their constant struggle and fight for their rights.
Their memory is melanin, the colour of submission, which should and needs to be visible and displayed with pride in today’s world – in light of our everyday, global circumstances seen in the rebellion of women and images, from raised fists to cutting their hair short. How can we experience our memories when we don’t even create any by constantly acquiescing and agreeing to consensus? Tjaša’s story, recounted through portraits from that other world, continues to draw attention to past memories, alerting to and examining the following question – Can you truly call yourself human if you fail to recognise your loved one in the colours of your memory?
Neža Pavšič
Tjaša Gnezda se je po končanem študiju komunikologije – medijske in komunikacijske študije – začela izpopolnjevati na področju vizualne umetnosti s tečajem grafičnih tehnik v Mednarodnem grafičnem likovnem centru Ljubljana in s profesionalnim programom modne fotografije na Scuola di Fotografia Professionale e Multimedia v Firenzah. Področje video produkcije je nadgradila še na filmski rezidenci v Avstriji na Innsbruck Film Campusu, video ter fotografski delavnici na umetniški rezidenci Victoria Yards v Johannesburgu ter na ORMS Cape Town School of Photography, v Južni Afriki.
After Tjaša Gnezda graduated from university, where she read Media and Communication Studies, she went on to study visual art by taking a course in graphic techniques at the International Centre of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana. She likewise attended a professional fashion photography course at the Scuola di Fotografia Professionale e Multimedia in Florence, Italy. She then went on to further expand her knowledge of video production by participating in a film residency at the Innsbruck Film Campus in Austria, video and photography workshop at Victoria Yards art residency in Johannesburg and at ORMS Cape Town School of Photography in South Africa.