Metsanaine/Forest woman, 2023
The project “Metsanaine” is dedicated to my search for an answer to the question:”is there another way to develop our relationship with nature?”
The path that we are currently following, in my opinion, has led to strange results. During our evolution, we have lost a significant connection with the natural world (both in terms of external and internal ) and the skills to survive in it.
We are born as biological creatures, animals. We have instincts as them. Chemical reactions in our bodies control our emotions and behavior.
But at the same time, we are raised by society with its rules, norms, and laws. We are trained.
We all know how to use the achievements of technological progress, but only a few of us understand how it functions. Can we start a fire without matches?
At the same time, the artificial environment we have created is not a paradise either. This environment is quite toxic. We’re always hearing and reading about difficult situation of the environment, ecology , social problems and others. The increasing pace of life and rising levels of stress create a favorable ground for the development of psychological disorders such as OCD, depression, panic attacks, and many more.
So where do we stand now? Which of the worlds do we belong to? And how can we find a path to harmonious coexistence and interaction between them?
In my project, I photograph myself in natural conditions while preserving markers of our time – clothing, fabrics, etc. I documented an invented ritual, looking for my primal part, the one that belongs to the natural, wild world, yet at the same time, free.
Natalia Kondratenko ©