Before the Winter

The works in this series are painted based on photographs that I have personally prepared. Like an archaeologist, I meticulously examine each captured moment, inch by inch, uncovering the layers of time embedded within the image. This particular painting technique resembles the weaving of fabric—only here, the process unfolds through brushstrokes of oil paint on canvas. Although the final piece is rendered in a realistic style, during the act of painting, the image itself becomes an abstraction to me. I work systematically, progressing from the lower left corner to the upper right, focusing solely on the surface area being painted at any given moment.

In this work, I depict the captured light in which a pine or larch shoot appears to be immersed. The light, absorbed and gently reflecting off the clumps of earth, disperses among the pine needles. To me, this light has a symbolic connection to oil paint—where the photographic image itself seems to dissolve, merging with the medium.