Fountain of Love, Cliveden National Trust
About the Artist - Syl Ojalla
My artistic focus revolves around exploring human potential and transcendence, shaped significantly by my unconventional upbringing. Emphasizing personal growth and elevated states of consciousness, my work adopts the perspective of an 'outsider' or 'observer.'
The overarching aim of my practice is collective growth, utilizing photography as a powerful means of communication. Through introspection, probing, and questioning, the work challenges limiting beliefs and perceptions, paving the way for a more fulfilled and expansive existence.
As a self-taught artist, I have been honing my craft since pursuing an MA in Photography at the University of Brighton in 2018. Themes of spirituality, the sublime, and the anthropocene weave through my work, drawing inspiration from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience. Rooted in areas promoting self-improvement, liberation, human connection, and a sustainable planetary future, my work poses critical questions. How can we align ourselves better with nature? Can collective consciousness be elevated by breaking free from oppressive conditioning? Where do we, as a collective, go from here? These questions form the core of my artistic inquiry.
In my creative process, I merge medium and large format analogue with digital imaging technologies. The resulting image emerges from an intuitive technological journey, manipulating the base image until the desired aesthetic is achieved. This often involves experimental digital processes, yielding effects like solarisation, tone changes, and alternative photographic looks. Prints are meticulously crafted on natural fiber archival papers, predominantly Japanese Washi, Agava, and Bamboo, chosen for their texture and longevity. Each print is treated as an individual 'object,' drawing inspiration from the Japanese tradition and aesthetic of 'wabi-sabi'—embracing impermanence, imperfection, and natural beauty.
While I acknowledge the apparent inconsequence of photography itself, my true fascination lies in the physical manifestation of an inner intuitive process propelling the work forward. It is this inner resource and the infinite potential within each of us that captivates me the most.
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2024 Theme: Biodiversity, ONCA Arts (Brighton), Residency 1st April - 31st May
EXHIBITIONS
2024 Group Show - Oct 1st - Nov 19th for Brighton Photo Fringe Collectives Hub with Iris Collective at Phoenix Artspace Brighton.
2024 'A Sparrow Whispered In My Ear', ONCA Arts (Brighton), Solo Exhibition 13th -26th April
2021 Source Photography Graduate Online 2021 (Online)
2021 University of Brighton (Edward Street Campus), MA Graduation 1st - 17th September
2021 'In a Silent Way' Regency Townhouse (Brunswick Square, Hove), Iris Collective Group Show 20th - 26th September
2020 Brighton Photo Fringe, Iris Photography Collective Group Show 3rd-31st October 2020.
TALKS
Photography through the Lockdown panel discussion chaired by Francis Hodgson 2021 (University of Brighton)
