Eman Ezekiel

About Eman's work

Fragments – an ode to my Mother (Earth) 

                                             ... ލޯބިވާ މަންމަ އަށް 

(Loabivaa mamma ah …) 

Translation: To my dearest mom…

This atmospheric exploration titled “Fragments – an ode to my Mother (Earth)” is an introspective reflection on memories, emotions, and relationships. The alternative title, “Loabivaa Mamma ah” is the formatting of how one might begin a letter in Dhivehi – as this series is meant as a love letter to my mother(s) – i.e. my mother, my maternal aunts, and my maternal great-grandmother all of whom collectively raised me – and the island(s) on which I grew up. Through capturing the complicated emotions for my mother that I have attempted a resolution for, and placing them in a memory of a place where I once felt fully embraced, this space visualises the space of love that she and I have created for each other. It is a place in which our love transcends the complications arising from societal expectations. It is a dreamscape, an ode, a love letter, to my mother (Earth) who raised me to be the man that I am today.

On materiality of the work

I played with several possible elements to build the environment, such as clay, wood, foil, water etc. In the end, I chose to construct the island using flour (to create the sand), model trees (cut into tiny bits to create the vegetation), and dried rosemary (for the palm trees). The several backdrops utilised are watercolour paintings that I painted of the sky at different stages of the day, touched up digitally.

Just as the sands on the island, the island itself, relationships, and time are fleeting, so

were the delicate materiality of the 3d model. I had to reconstruct the island several times in the process of photographing it, having dropped the backdrop onto it many times.

Moreover, a reflective element such as glass made sense to create the effect of the ocean. It is not only a play on the word, reflections, but it also adds depth to the concept of looking back onto yourself.

Image descriptions

A series of 8 images by artist Eman Ezekiel against a wall. The images are 13cm x 13cm sized photographs, framed in white wooden frames that are 25cm x 25cm from IKEA, and are hung on the wall with hooks.

The images showcase different times of the day, starting from sunrise to sunset (as observed and remembered by the artist), over the island depicted, in a single day. This changing of time is depicted mainly through the change of light of the sky and the ocean. 

The day begins with harsher, more saturated colours – mainly orange, which is reflected by the water as well as its deep blue. The colours mellow out as the sun passes over the island throughout the day (on a clear day with no clouds), moving from golden light to the baby blue sky, and finally blending together into an array of blues, purples, and pinks in the sky as the sunsets.  

Image 1: Harsh orange light, as the sun begins peeking over the horizon (the light coming from the right of the frame although the sun is not depicted). The sea is blue, but the orange is more prominent and is reflected by the ocean as well. The left half of the island is set in the shadows. 

Image 2: The orange is more desaturated, and gentler. There is more light in the sky, as the sun rises more. The orange reflected in the water has also gotten lighter and gentler. Although left half of the island still has some shadow cast on it, it is no longer as harsh. 

Image 3: The colour of the sky has turned into a golden yellow. The sun is now up, and the ocean has also lightened, with more of its blue becoming prominent. There is still a subtle shadow cast over one-third of the island on the left half. 

Image 4: The day has moved towards mid-morning, with some yellow-gold still visible in the bottom half sky, but the blue has taken over the day. The sky and the water are mainly a soft, baby blue. The shadows have disappeared.

Image 5: Midday. The sun (lighting) is sitting directly over the island. The day is bright, and there are no shadows visible. The sky is more saturated with the baby blue, and the blue in the water is a shade or two darker. 

Image 6: Mid-afternoon, turning to evening. The sun (lighting) has moved over towards the left of the island. The colours are similar to that of Image 5. 

Image 7: Evening, just prior to sunset. The sun is beginning to move towards sinking into the horizon. The light is coming in from the left (out of frame). The right half of the island is cast in soft shadows. The sky is now a gradient of a deeper light blue, purple and pink. 

Image 8: The sun has now set. The sky is a vibrant array of purples and pinks, with a gentle red just on the horizon.