forest floor, 2025
oil on stretched canvas
“I have always yearned to return to nature. If only I could stay there, take root in the forest floor from autumn through winter, perhaps death would not seem so terrifying.” The artwork addresses the fear of death through Latvian oral folklore and the ecological aspects of death. The artist aims to create a space where death is recognised as a normal, albeit unpleasant, part of life. This interdisciplinary composition serves as a meditation on the fear of death. The mythological forest depicted in the painting establishes a sense of a location suspended between life and death, in space and time. Accompanying scents and sounds enhance the atmosphere, evoking associations with nature that feel slightly off, resulting in an uncanny mood. Viewers are invited to immerse themselves in this environment and explore their feelings regarding mortality. This artwork has participated in the Art Academy of Latvia graduate exhibition “Being Art”.