EPHEMERA [Uma certeza inefável] by Ludmila Queirós
Estação Canelas Gallery, Aveiro, PortugalLudmila Queirós is a Portuguese mixed-media artist and researcher based in Coimbra, Portugal. Her work guides us through captivating worlds where the rhythm of human experiences can change abruptly. Deeply influenced by literature and nature, her work reflects poetic approaches to significant philosophical questions. She also finds inspiration in the natural world and in living creatures that serve as metaphors for her work. In her latest installation, Queirós brings us closer to the fleeting beauty of a mayfly's life cycle, drawing parallels to the transient nature of our own lives.
Titled "EPHEMERA," a term rooted in the Greek "ephēmeros," meaning 'lasting only one day,' this installation encapsulates the brief yet profoundly symbolic life cycle of a mayfly—an aquatic insect. The installation unfolds a visual narrative portraying the mayfly's rapid evolution: from egg to nymph, emerging above water as a dun, transforming into a spinner, and concluding with the deposition of new eggs and its demise. Each stage embodies vulnerability, resilience, and transience, defining the mayfly's journey.
Queirós invites us to experience the symbolic rebirth of the emergent spinner, mirroring the mayfly's delicate existence above water. This precarious moment reflects the challenges we face in our own lives as we strive to thrive in a stage of vulnerability, navigating life's unpredictable currents. Using the mayfly's life cycle as a metaphor, Queirós explores the human pursuit of connection, purpose, and acceptance of impermanence.
"EPHEMERA" invites visitors to reflect on their own journeys through the lens of the mayfly, finding resonance in its fragility. In this installation, Queirós captures the essence of life's ephemeral nature, urging us to embrace the poetics of experience and find profound meaning in the brevity of our existence.