“And once more I dream of a Tokonoma *. My foot leaves the ground as I step upon the small raised platform. It is quieter here than in the space behind me— the hush of meditation, of contemplation, the stillness between breath drawn in and breath released. Again I lift my foot, yet this time I rise entirely,
 suspended within an image, a picture, a still life that gathers itself around me.“

About the series

This body of work represents the quiet path to healing — an exploration of the delicate balance between fragility and strength. Inspired by the elemental beauty of nature, each piece evokes the first fragile hints of renewal, much like the first light on the horizon after a long, harsh winter or the soft skin of a healing wound.

In these works, the quiet elegance of materials — ice, water, paper, feathers, stone, salt, and wood — becomes a language of its own. The subtle textures, the organic forms, the micro-macro connections, all speak to the origins of things, at their most elemental and unformed state. There is something deeply personal and intimate in this work, an invitation to pause, breathe, and reconnect.

VESSEL OF SALTY CRYSTALS

“A point of quiet concentration:
 a dark vessel dusted with a star-like crust of salt crystals. 
I can taste their sharpness upon my lips —
 a residue, a recollection:
 summer seasides,
 a Turkish cleansing bath, 
a pocket-sized universe.“

MOSSY BRANCH

“The branch beckons, 
granting me a place among its greenness and rosiness. 
A space as free and familiar as that offered by a friend, a lover — 
and in that moment I need nothing more. 
My heart is touched,
 brushed by the depth of another time.”

ICE DIAMONDS

“I become a gemstone of ice. 
Light fractures and filters through me,
 a silver-grey crackling of winter’s first greeting. 
I am held within its crystalline breath.”

THREE FEATHERS

Softness itself — 
I feel the faintest touch along my skin.
 Three feathers drift and dance in the air,
 an ensemble of kinship.
 They belong to one another,
 care for one another.
 Complete. Content. Whole.

NEST

“May I rest here for a while?
 This place looks so inviting to me – already waiting for its new inhabitants.
 I immediately feel at home within the arms of twig, leaf and feather.“

DRIFTWOOD

*A Tokonoma


In Japanese tradition, a Tokonoma is a quiet alcove— a small, sacred pause within a room— where a single artwork, a scroll, or a treasured object is placed with intention. It is a space that holds beauty the way a cupped hand holds water:
 delicately, reverently, with room for breath.

Whether placed in a home, a therapy space, or a quiet meditation corner, these photographs create a sanctuary for reflection, offering a space to touch base with yourself. Their raw simplicity and sense of growth, decay, and possibility make them timeless companions in moments of stillness.

Each piece is a journey — a delicate, embryonic form, a liminal phase suspended between what is and what could be, poised at the edge of transformation. Fragile yet powerful, they remind us that healing and creation often begin in the smallest, most subtle space.

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Information about the manufacturing process & materials being used

All prints were produced by the artist on vintage Kodak colour photographic paper. This paper was no longer in production at the time Uta was working on the series. As it aged, it developed a natural yellowish tint, which is why it was often discarded. Rather than allowing the material to go to waste, Uta gathered the paper from colleagues, extending their life rather than allowing them to be wasted.

This gesture aligns with her broader commitment to sustainability within her artistic practice. Yet the choice was also aesthetic: the paper’s inherent “imperfection” subtly transforms the images, imbuing them with a singular texture and tonal depth.