"Once Upon Now" is a blend of photography and AI-assisted digital art by Inna Etuvgi, alias My Psychedelic Garden.
In this work, the artist speaks about the modern society that seems to live in several layers of time simultaneously: "new technologies alongside archaic social norms, traditions mingled with new trends. We remember the old fairy tales we grew up with, yet we hardly understand how to apply them in the present. Our lives are vastly different from those of even our nearest ancestors. Humanity is rapidly moving forward, yet at the same time, it stands still. The future is already here, but so is the past.
Yet, in the relentless march towards tomorrow, we have to be anchored in the wisdom of bygone eras for the saga of humanity to be ever-evolved. Ancient forests, witnesses to the passage of countless generations, now whisper to the steel and circuitry of drones; epochs are blending. In this living narrative, we are both the authors and the protagonists of an unfolding story, "Once Upon Now," where every moment is a crossroad between what was and what is yet to come."
ABOUT THE PRINT:
Gicleè print on Canson Fine Art paper + COA
The artwork is printed in a limited edition in a few sizes; this particular offer is for the Medium size with an image of 39x48.5cm, printed in a limited edition of 15.
The print is signed, numbered, and printed by the author.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Inna Etuvgi, hailing from Russia's Arctic shores, brings her technical background to light as a Swedish art photographer. Her artistic journey began in 2020, and in 2022, she gained recognition as a finalist in the Arte Laguna Prize 16. In 2023, she received an honour from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee. Etuvgi’s works are featured in “Photography in the Visual Culture” 22/23 book.
Navigating life with Aphantasia, Inna's mind doesn't visualise, but it pulsates with vivid concepts, emotions, and sensations. She uses her camera not merely to explore the world but to externalise her unique mental landscapes, making them visible.
Art critic Tabish Khan says about Inna’s art: “her work is about transporting us to other worlds - both real and imaginary, but always in harmony with nature. She may have a mind blind to visualisation, but she has eyes and a camera that capture the beauty in the worlds that the rest of us often overlook and take for granted.”