CICA Museum, M Gallery
August 7 – 11, 2024
2024.08.07 – 11
WINTER SLEEPERS
Once Upon a Lockdown…. WINTER SLEEPERS
ARTIST STATEMENT by Anna Sibylla
This photo series captures the resilience and imagination of children from Generation Covid as they navigated an era of unprecedented turbulence.
Amid the pandemic lockdowns, confined to my home, I turned to photography as a means to preserve my soul and sanity. Together with the children, we created our own fairy tale. Like Winter Sleepers, we dreamt of a brighter, healthier world.
We only had ourselves, a trunk of old dresses, a lost butterfly wing from the garden, and most importantly: the Light. Each photograph in this series was shot exclusively with natural, available light.
Through these images, I wish to convey the resilience, creativity, and hope that emerged even in the most challenging of times. This exhibition is a testament to the enduring spirit of children and the light that guided us through the shadows.
During the lockdowns in 2021, I had the pleasure of being selected for renowned Dutch photographer Hellen van Meene’s online FotoFilmic masterclasses, which marked the beginning of my photographic practice. Her teachings, with a focus on “working with what you got,” deeply influenced my work and this series in particular.
ANNA SIBYLLA is a Dutch-Italian artist with Asian roots. After studying Film- and TV Sciences at the University of Amsterdam, she graduated in directing from the Italian national film school – Scuola Nazionale di Cinema – in Rome. Her background in film and storytelling forms the foundation of her photography work, which is set somewhere at the intersection of documentary and fine art. Anna is currently based in the Netherlands, committed to creating art works that resonate with her motto: How to Stay Tender-Hearted, despite, despite, despite…
“Essentially, all the work that I do is in Pursuit of Tenderness. It is my antidote for living in this fractured and turbulent world.”
