“Water pools along a walking path”
Photographs (prints in variable sizes)
This series of photographs presents water pools observed by a walker looking around. The artist has been doing walking trails in this area, from village to village, for a few years before focusing on these pools. These are human-created according to specific rules – size, depth, position, etc. – that are set in order to ensure the biotope for amphibians, dragonflies, beetles, and several other sorts of bugs and microorganisms; some of them being endangered species. Flying-by birds and walking-by animals make use of the pools; grazing cattle are most welcome to these waters while fish are not, nor are humans unless they work for the maintenance of the pools. They are filled from earth and rain water, yet without human care these pools either dry out or fill with soil and detritus; they need to be cleaned from the swampy mud that forms in their bottom and be monitored about the quality of their water; the pools are documented and certified as biotopes. Among several surface waters in the area, varying in type, size, and purpose, these small scale still waters with their smooth surface, mirror the ever changing sky and the surrounding environment; a wonder to look for along the walking path. The presented photographs are made in Zeeland province, in south-west Netherlands and very close to the border with Belgium.
bio
Sofia Kapnissi (b. 1966, Athens) is a visual artist. She studied painting at the School of Visual and Applied Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1985-90) and at the Free Academy of Visual Arts of The Hague. She also holds an MA in Book and Digital Media Studies from Leiden University. She is co-founder of the artists’ group Gaidaro and of the art platform “geborgen kamers” which from 1999 to 2008 presented projects advocating for wide participation in the art practice and presentation.
