THREE ASSOCIATIONS.CORNWALL. 2024
Medium: Photo etchings, found objects, Super 8 film
The unknown is what occurs in the transition between wakefulness and sleep.
‘Three Associations’ is a series of spontaneous works developed over one year. It features a looping Super 8mm film, photographed performances, and found objects. They are crystallized and deliberately manifested as embryonic. They are brought together in a three-way dialogue, as one form of expression converses with another.
Theatrical staging places otherworldly figures in desolate locations, creating alternate realities. Dormant objects, found within Almas’ mise-en-scène, re-emerge in the gallery as they respond to their own representation of reality. A window to the world is presented through staring, blinking eyes and what might also be seen through our mind’s eye.
Almas’ work alludes to a world that slips between multi-layered realities. Her set pieces and improvisations act as a labyrinth of complex simulations as she problematizes her own expectations of what reality might be. By materializing dreams, Almas’ associated works form a visual cosmos, entwined in assemblages of meaning.
THREE ASSOCIATIONS. VESTSIDA. 2024
Medium: Photographs, found objects, moving image
Three Associations (Kunstland) is a site-specific project developed during my residency in Norway, situated in a remote area two hours from Oslo. The project is rooted in the history of a 17th-century barn and the old cabin where I resided, which originally served as the first building in the area for transporting wood across a nearby lake. In the 19th century, a family took over the farm, living self-sufficiently until they eventually moved out, discovering modern conveniences like cars.
In response to this rich history, Three Associations (Kunstland) seeks to recreate and reimagine the atmosphere of the past through a dialogue between found objects, photography, and performative elements. By interacting with objects left behind and staging photographs that evoke the lives of the former inhabitants, the project aims to capture the essence of a world that once was, blending reality with imagination. The residency’s unique environment, with minimal modern amenities, allowed for a deeper connection with the site’s history and significantly influenced the compositions and narratives within the work.