The Tree of Life

"One day, on a whim, a tree grew in an abandoned windowless shack and went in search of light. Man needs air, fish needs water, and wood needs light. It goes to the ground with its roots, and to the stars with its branches, it is the path that connects us to the sky. "

                                                                                  Antoine de Saint-Exupery "Citadelle"

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All the photographs were taken during the long winter months, in the forests around Kiev, when it seemed that the pandemic, and the cold, and inner loneliness would never end, and the sun would not appear. But it was in this troubled time that I found an island of tranquility and realized what wisdom is inherent in trees and nature.

A tree is a mirror of what is happening not only in man, but also in visible and invisible nature. The soul of the tree reflects the innermost life of nature and has a part of the power of the invisible Essence, which manifests itself through it. The trunk of a tree, like a bridge, stretches from Earth to Heaven, and thus, the tree plays the role of an intermediary between man and his ancestors…

In this series of photographs, I tried to convey my awareness, insight and immersion into the inner world through the discovery of the outer world.

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The photography "Island of Tranquility/Mystery Place" from the series "The Tree of Life" was awarded the mark Honorable Mention in category Nature in the 2021 ND Awards, Monochrome Photography Awards 2021 and Nomination in Fine Art category at 8th Fine Art Photography Awards 2022.