The series Abyss focuses exclusively on one motif. It is the night motif of a sea pier, which the artist pursued over a longer period of time. The title Abyss indicates the symbolic significance of the series that the photographer himself interprets as a response to current political affairs and a feeling of the spirit of the times we live in. The pier as a temporary and limited space of current residence on which strangers coexist, images of people indicating a point in the distance or bending over the water as if searching for answers in it, images of a secluded pier in total darkness, photographs of lightning and close shots of the sea, all this evokes an allusion to the current images of refugees who are following points in the distance, reaching unknown territories, talking to strangers on that same pier, and staring at the sea on which their survival depends. Only few elements of the narrative are specifically highlighted; each change in the framing, each gesture or attitude of protagonists in this empty space immersed in the darkness resonates more strongly. He thus achieves various effects, ranging from calmness to drama, using minimal variation. Broadly speaking, we can also perceive the Abyss as an illustration of our own existence in all its ranges: finding the right direction, approaching the coast, coexisting with strangers, surviving storms and unpredictable seas, and finally moments of confiding closeness of two lovers with whom the series ends. Hence, with love that gives meaning and (solely) shows a way out of the abyss.

Text by Andreja Borin, curator at the Maribor art gallery.