Mother Water
Mother Water is a story developed by Daria Svertilova and Sana Shahmuradova, in which the duo researches the tender connection of women with nature, especially with the water element. The project focuses on the symbolism of rivers and lakes in Ukrainian culture. The roots lead us back to the long-forgotten practice of gathering near the water source for cleaning and handwashing.
This ritual was bringing women together, enabling to build a relationship on a personal level and more so the connection with nature, with its calmness. Daria and Sana bring attention to the importance of preserving nature by emphasizing the sacredness of the practice and the cultural phenomenon.
Throughout 2020 the lockdown occurred in different places around the globe, which produced an undeniable impact prompting to think over future goals and redefine the aspects of our lives with new prioritization. The team decided to focus on a daily routine of washing and chose to film the project on the bank of a river in Ukraine, explaining the choice, “This project was made at a very special place in Ukraine, near the rivers that are currently in an emergent state: they are at risk of drying out. This problem of course is being ignored by dominant structures and has never been featured in the news or any sort of media. We thought it is important to depict the fragile and, unfortunately, fleeting beauty of these water sources involving female images.” We speak with the team about ecology, the Ukrainian culture and mythology, and the powerful feeling of reached symbiosis on set.
‘When all the worlds are stressed and in panic, it is possible to reach a peaceful state doing some manual, repetitive work. The process of washing is one of them.’
— Daria Svertilova
Take us into the conception of the project. What were some of the things you discussed (technically, aesthetically), which you wanted to approach with this work?
Daria: The idea of creating this series came to us during the lockdown. We were paying much more attention to simple daily rituals and were thinking of them as some sort of active meditation: when all the worlds are stressed and in panic, it is possible to reach a peaceful state doing some manual, repetitive work. The process of washing is one of them. Even though today we don’t wash clothes with hands anymore, the closeness to water and interaction with it always has a calming effect on people. We wanted to transmit this feeling of flow: the joy of becoming one with this powerful element.
‘I think we all have already seen a lot of horrifying images of how nature is being destroyed. In my opinion, the work should be done both ways: make people aware of their impact on Earth while also depicting the beauty of nature and its force.’
— Daria Svertilova
The topics of the softness of the water flowing in the river and the femininity expressed in the shoot are juxtaposed to the knowledge that the two rivers are facing the danger of drying out. However, the atmosphere transmitted is of life, of the ongoing existence. How do you think love and care towards nature can be restored or strengthened?
Daria: I think we all have already seen a lot of horrifying images of how nature is being destroyed. In my opinion, the work should be done both ways: make people aware of their impact on Earth while also depicting the beauty of nature and its force. We believe that the feeling of admiration can influence one much stronger to be willing to do good things than sorrow or fear. This project is one of the means we used to transmit this message of awareness. We truly wanted to heal our minds, not to disturb, creating these images.
Sana: There is this episode where one girl is patiently washing the hair of the other one. And that is a very accurate parallel to the perfect way of taking care of nature by humankind with love, admiration, respect, and patience.
‘While we were waiting to see the developed photographs I was trying to recall the scenes and to sketch them. Some of the recallings I’ve transformed into oil paintings later, some remained pastel drawings.’
— Sana Shahmuradova
The paintings come to emphasize the feminine energy and also add an additional reference to the pagan cultures. What was the process or the connection between the photo and the painting?
Sana: While we were waiting to see the developed photographs I was trying to recall the scenes and to sketch them. Some of the recallings I’ve transformed into oil paintings later, some remained pastel drawings. Canvas was made before the shooting and as a reference, we also used mental images and recallings of ethnic ornaments observed on objects made of textile, such as carpets on both walls and floors that are usually being washed collectively in the summertime in the river.
How do you think being connected to the Ukrainian culture, nature, people influence the artist?
Daria: Ukrainian culture is very rich; however, it was censured and tried to be forgotten during the Soviet epoch. Our generation is now returning to it and exploring it in order to better understand our roots and our heritage as a nation. It’s a powerful source of inspiration for us as Ukraine was not totally absorbed by globalization by now, and there are lots of traditions and beliefs which we find beautiful and worth-showing.
Sana: The biggest source of inspiration to me is the research of Ukrainian mythology and its transformation throughout the generations and centuries. Particularly I am very attracted to feminine creatures, their manifestations in folklore, later in literature, and other forms of art. All these tiny superstitions that people continue to believe in were made up back in the days when people would personify all of the powers and expressions of nature, and that phenomenon is an endless source of inspiration to me.
‘The most precious moments of the project were the moments of the pure symbiosis of us, or thoughts, and intentions with the environment we were placed in: all of the beautiful serendipities and interactions with strangers that were very much to the point.’
— Sana Shahmuradova
Which moment from this project is most precious to you?
Sana: The most precious moments of the project were the moments of the pure symbiosis of us, or thoughts, and intentions with the environment we were placed in: all of the beautiful serendipities and interactions with strangers that were very much to the point. But if I were to pick the most precious one: the moment when all of us were in the water at some point, the entire team. And I felt that we acted as one organism trying to get fully connected to each other and the water.
