Although coming from absolutely different backgrounds, destiny decided to cross their roads due to unique artistic creation. Concentrated over the poems of Nataša Pantović, three artists let themselves go in search for mysteries of life and their meanings


By LJILJANA SAMARDŽIĆ (ljiljana.samardzic@wavemagazine.net)
from Sombor, SERBIA


A very unusual exhibition had been opened in Malta on April 27th. Visitors could see the art crafts which were made as inspiration of four elements - fire, water, air and earth. Those are the same basic elements which Empedocles considered as four basic beings of nature. The Earth has been presented through poems of Nataša Pantović (Serbia), Fire, which Heraclites thought of as the most unstable element, belonged to Christine Cutajar (Malta), photographer. Jason Lu's (China) paintings described his view and presentation of Air and Jeni Caruana (UK) painted Water, which she considers an almost uncontrollable element.

Things which also make this exhibition original are book "The art of four elements" which contains 120 art works and 120 poems and website http://www.artof4elements.com/. Each artist took 40 different poems and turned them into pieces of art. As it is written on their website, life is just an experiment in which "most of us strive to hit the jackpot, to find the recipe for love, happiness, fulfillment, to get to the finish line healthy, without suffering, sane, inspired and laughing. The Art of Four Elements is a story of such an endeavor, of an attempt, a dream, to discover a sacred stone that transforms metals into gold, helping our souls live their highest potential."

Exploring her own soul and paths, Christine Cutajar went from psychology to the artistic world and instantly experienced success and her very first confirmation and positive critics.

What made you change your mind regarding your profession and become photographer and artist?

- Studying psychology was interesting for my personal development and growth. However, I always felt an ambiguity as to how to apply this knowledge to a particular profession. Having worked on myself to always follow my heart and intuition in my life, I trusted that this again will be my guide to give me clarity in my profession. And it was indeed my trust in the divine and accepting my true self which led me to feel free and confident in expressing myself through art, more specifically abstract-nature photography.

This is your first exhibition and a kind of confirmation as artist. Which thoughts and what feelings are characteristics of your preparation for this event and the opening itself?

- Yes, this is my first exhibition. I felt very excited about the whole event and about exhibiting my work with established artists. I also experienced some anxiety, but I guess that is just a part of this preparation.

In the interview for "The Malta Independent" it is mentioned that this is the very first exhibition of this kind in Malta. Are there similar or same exhibitions present in other parts of the world?

- I have not heard about similar exhibitions abroad.

Why did you choose to base your exhibition on the four elements?

- Transforming the visible into words, and words into images, The Art of Four Elements artists gathered together with a common dream to explore the manifestation of: Earth that is fixed, rigid, static and quiet, and symbolizes the world of senses; Water that is the primordial Chaos, is fluidity and flexibility, and symbolizes the world of emotions; Air that has no shape and is incapable of any fixed form. It is a symbol of thoughts; Fire that is boundless and invisible, and is a parching heat that consumes all, or within its highest manifestation, becomes the expression of Divine Love, and Spirit that stands at the center of the four elements as an Essence, an Observer, Consciousness coming forth to experience the magic of Life.

When you were making photographs, did you use something else beside poems as inspiration?

- It was a very interesting experience as during the creative process my inspirations from nature, photography and the poetry all came together and led me to create the image from this combination.

How do you expect that your art will affect on people? What do you wish to evoke in them?

- From the comments which I have had from the exhibition, most people were intrigued with the most abstract of photos. For me, the visitors' various reactions to my work were interesting as it reminds me of the mysteries in life and our reactions to them. It also reminds me of how different each person's perceptions are to the same thing, as we all come from different backgrounds... and it makes me wonder how important it is to question our own beliefs and perceptions of the realities we form.

Since the exhibition is about to end, can you share your experience and tell us what do you gain from it?

- During the opening I found myself fascinated with the different interpretations of the subjects in my photos. Having received very positive feedback on my work from various sources, I would say that I gained more support and encouragement to make more of my work public.

What are your plans for future? Will there be more exhibitions soon and will this one be available in other countries as well?

- I am currently working on other projects, connected mostly to abstract-nature photography, which will be released during the coming months, where you can find more information in the near future on my website: http://www.nurisha.net/ . This exhibition is only available in Malta, however the book will be available worldwide in the near future.