Hot and Cold Showers on Stage (Mäntyharju) 2016

Elina Brotherus made "Hot and Cold Showers on Stage (Mäntyharju)" with a camera, creating an image that’s like a performance, a ritual. It makes me think about the vulnerability and strength in exposing oneself to the elements. The cool palette of the sky and water contrasts with the warmth of the skin. I imagine Brotherus out there, thinking about what it means to be both an observer and participant. It’s like she's asking, “How much can I reveal? How much can I endure?” Brotherus is known for her staged photography, often using herself as a model. It’s a kind of self-portraiture, but it's also about the landscape, the environment, and our place within it. The bucket becomes a symbolic object, a prop in a personal drama played out in the open. You can feel the artist experimenting, pushing the boundaries of what photography can capture, what it can express about the human condition. It’s a conversation with other artists who use their bodies as a canvas, exploring themes of identity, nature, and the self.