Swimming way out there

The tangle of the trees‘ roots makes a step. I put one foot down into the water. My toes can feel the mud and gingerly start digging into it, checking the ground for firmness. The cool temperature of the water hits me without warning. A sudden onslaught of physicality erases all thoughts from my mind. I can no longer remain motionless.

But what happens when we swim all the way out there, on and on, until the shore that usually makes us feel safe, disappears out of sight, we start panicking, and all strength starts draining from our bodies? Right there, in the middle of the lake begins a journey that goes beyond mere swimming. This essay delves into the metaphorical power of water as a symbol of life – between lightness and excessive demands, magic and fear, lack of orientation, and responsibility.

Ånsken Eckert’s works capture moments of encountering water in daily life, free of excitement, and yet significant. All of them pay reverence to the element that sustains life.

Ånsken Eckert:
»I painted wooden boards with watercolor and pastel to get a sense of the wood’s structure. Afterwards, I scanned the structures that emerged and used them to create digital collages.«

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