msdm a nomadic house-studio-gallery for photographic art and curatorial research, an expanded practice of the artist's book, photobook publishing and peer-to-peer collaboration created by contemporary artist paula roush
THE EMPTY SPACES | PERSONAL ABSOLUTE SPACE POINT
288 pages, 31 X 21,2 X 2.2 cm, Recycled Natural 120gsm paper, Black & white, Indigo printing
ARTIST: Swapnil Patil
EDITORIAL DESIGN: paula roush
PUBLISHER: msdm publications
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2023
EDITION: 40
ISBN: 978-1-7396192-3-7
£19.99 ADD TO CART
A highly contagious virus swept through the city, casting its shadow over the entire world, rendering once-thriving metropolises desolate and eerily silent. Skyscrapers, once beacons of bustling activity, stood shrouded in darkness, their power-saving lights a sombre reminder of a changed reality. People retreated into a virtual realm; their physical interactions relegated to mere memories.
This book captures the surreal essence of lockdown, delving into solitude and introspection within London's hushed vastness. Through evocative imagery spanning desolate urbanity, silent deserted streets, and cloistered life, it unveils humanity’s profound connection to human-made spaces. Each scene invites an exploration between self and empty spaces, a convergence of time and place as a personal "absolute space point" where existence feels both suspended and deeply resonant.
An ‘absolute space point’ emerges from the field of physics and relates to the idea of an unchanging,fixed reference point in space, the existence of an ultimate and unvarying spatial framework that serves as a backdrop for all events and objects.
In the book, concept of personal "absolute space points" offers a beacon of guidance. These pivotal moments serve as temporal coordinates, navigating us through our individual timelines. Memory becomes our vessel, enabling us to revisit and relearn the lessons that may have faded with time’s passage.
The photographs chronicle a transition from reality to a realm that’s both timeless and enigmatic—a space cold yet full of latent emotion, a space where the soul’s solitude intersects with isolated surroundings. The empty expanses in pristine white echo a paradoxical amalgamation of restlessness and serenity. In stark contrast, the abstract strokes of paint, akin to lines, guide architecture seamlessly across the dimensions of time and space.
contact
paula roush ::: paularoush@gmail.com
msdm studio ::: msdm@msdm.org.uk