 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
 |
 |
|
|
According to Hindu mythology, Saraswati is the name of a river, like Ganga and Yamuna, flowing in this world of visible forms. The river Saraswati has vanished from our eyes and become invisible, or underground. Saraswati can now be seen only in statues, made each year as the Goddess of Art and Knowledge. ”I spend almost six months each year in India & Bangladesh for the sake of grass-root projects (traditional song, traditional visual art forms etc). At the same time, the quest of the artist, photographer & poet goes on. Photography is a form of connecting, and of meditation. It is an act of balance between the formless, the myriad of forms and the one point, by Indians called the bindu. My point of departure or passion as a photographer is vanishing forms. The forms may long since have almost vanished, or they may be vanishing right now, because of age or neglect. I want to capture the remains or traces. I want them to continue to be, if only as images. It may resemble a desire to make an archive. The body, human or animal, enters this world of forms, remains for a while and then gets dissolved. Sadhus, who most often move near rivers or in jungles, know this, with silence, recitation of mantras, or song. [a double gaze] I have to travel back and forth between this northern ”peace” and the myriad of mental and visual forms of South Asia. There is also the strong bond to Budapest, for unknown reasons, but certainly because of the presence of the Roma population (with Indian origins), the history of Hungarian Jews, the strong presence of folk as well as classical music, the ”impossibility” of the Hungarian language and the nearness that Hungary has to ”my” India.” (Wera Saether) Wera Sæther(born in 1945, Norway) 1968-1971 Studies in the History of Religion Started photographing in the mid-eighties and participated for 3-4 years in weekly ”photography as expression” workhops with the Norwegian art photographer Thera (Anne Lise) Mjaaland. Has worked as a psychotherapist and a reporter. First book (poetry): published in 1973. In Bangladesh, she has founded and is the ”mother” of an organisation with the aim to preserve, inspire and promote tradtional folk songs and musical traditions (Kurigram & Lalmonirhat district). In Kolkata she has founded and is the ”mother” of a very new small voluntary organisation called ”Earthcare with Art” that aims to let slum children paint as well as to strengthen environmental consciousness in the vulnerable region of Bengal. Most important literary awards: She was appointed ”a state scholar ” (statsstipendiat) in 1995 and receives an annual scholarship from the Norwegian Department of Culture. She has travelled extensively in India, Bangladesh, Middle East, Rwanda, Guatemala, Central and Eastern Europe. She now divides her time between India & Bangladesh and Europe (Oslo & Budapest). Main exhibitions: Upcoming exhibition:
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|