We Swim in One Water / act XXII, Tidal Gatherings

Act XXII, Tidal Gatherings is a part of Anastasia Savinova’s ongoing project We Swim in One Water, that explores connectedness through water on biological, geographical, metaphorical and spiritual levels. The show at Kungsbacka Konsthall brings together sculptures and video works, tales of ancient ice, rivers, and other waters, running through time and space, human and more-than-human lives. Sculptures, made from materials found in and near water, evoke images of beings that might be encountered along a shoreline walk. Shells, river grass, fish skin, ropes – weaving together natural and industrial artifacts, Savinova addresses the beauty of the world, the intimate connection between organisms, and fragility of the ecosystem. The image of moving water in the shape of Vesica Piscis - formed by the intersection of two circles - carries rich symbolism in both mathematical and spiritual traditions, beaconing at the end of the passage, creating a nearly ceremonial presence. Another part of the gallery offers a meditation on a waterborne journey through time on personal and planetary levels. In the central video piece, Savinova is performing together with her mother and grandmother in the river from her childhood. River becomes a metaphor of time: water flows through our bodies, connecting us with the past and future. A mountain with eggs nesting in the blue icy substance stands as a symbol of genesis and the promise of emergence – of a primordial ancestor or a newcoming creature yet imagined.