For the Time Being 1,2,3 & 4
‘For The Time Being’ 1, 2, 3 & 4 2019
Work created during 1 year residency with The National Trust at Mottisfont.
Exhibition of final outcomes 'For the Time Being' Mottisfont House Gallery, 3 May - 7 July 2019
Lumen Photographs, Frame Yard, Summer Solstice. 21.6.18
Silver gelatin print. Obsolete Kodak paper, selenium, gold and wax
23 x 32 x 2.5 cms Solid pine box frame with hanging attachments
£200/each
‘For The Time Being’ reference the ‘vanitas tradition’, a term which originally comes from the opening lines of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible: ‘Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.’ Vanitas are closely related to memento mori still lifes which are artworks that remind the viewer of the shortness and fragility of life. It often depicted decay, death and the end of time, presenting this as a creative act in itself. Eileen positioned herself in the Frame Yard on the summer solstice 2018 and made long exposures using obsolete kodak paper. The plants were sourced from the garden and the strong sunlight that day produced these beautiful prints. Through this deeply moving experience, alongside the meditative and physical processes, Eileen developed her own unique technique that focuses upon the cyclic nature of existence.