Temporary Phantasmagoria 

The author allows us to glimpse into a world through her works, where nothing is permanent, yet at the same time, every experience – whether filled with joy or pain – represents a precious gem in the mosaic of our lives. The series thus becomes not only a celebration of beauty in transience but also an invitation to accept this inseparable and valuable part of our existence.

We humans have great potential to be empathetic and create mutual closeness and understanding. However, today‘s fast times do not give us many opportunities to perceive each other. Our thoughts, attitudes, values, and desires. It‘s all in us, but other people know almost nothing about it. We keep ourselves only to ourselves. We are afraid to be open and often feel lonely, while our relationships are fragile and we get easily hurt. To establish close and strong relationships, we must have a settled relationship with ourselves. Find our own light. The beauty and depth of life really lie in its changeability and uncertainty. I perceive the Temporary Phantasmagoria project not only as compositions of light and shadows, but also as an inner journey into my soul beyond my own borders, where I meet my deepest shadows, as well as my desires.

Jana Šantavá is a Slovak photographer who has studied photography and new media at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava under the guidance of doc. Stacho and in Filip Vančo’s studio. She has had exhibitions in Bratislava, Milan and Paris.