„Solitude is Ethereal”

The project is my take on the „Animal” theme for semester 2 of Interdisciplinary Practice at Aberystwyth University. 

It is an on-going process of connecting “the animal” within me through yoga, astrology and photography.

I have done 7 animal yoga poses which are also animal star constellations. The amount of stars in the constellation determined the duration of the each yoga pose. Although the amount of stars is an average of 9, my duration of holding the poses went up from 30 seconds to 9 minutes (so far). 

The project explores strength of the human body which gradually increased due to the consistency in doing the animal poses.

Being self isolated for 10 days after my return to Aber has been a bliss for my Solitude. I haven’t been able to go out and at first I felt like an animal in a cage… but I wasn’t expecting the amount of peace and fulfilment this feeling would bring me. 

The project is a glimpse into connecting these two very distant aspects – the grounded, earthy yoga and the extraterrestrial, infinite depths of cosmos.  

I have started by exercising to my limits and held the pose for a minute. I’ve then started to add  minute by minute, up until the limit – which was the amount of stars in the constellation.

Although I’ve been locked up, I feel stronger physically but also mentally. I feel like this time spent alone has given me immunity, but has also increased my self-awareness.

The title of the project is somewhat an allusion to the song “Solitude is Bliss”. The name of the band Tame Impala refers to having an unspoken moment in nature between yourself and a wild animal. And I myself have felt connected to a particular animal whilst doing the relevant position.

Despite all this, the biggest outcome are the feelings and strength I feel within me after this ongoing process… I feel I have gained strength especially in my arms and legs, my posture is more straight and I feel a sense of balance. My body feels light, flexible and free. 

The photography series is a representation of this process. It is a connectivity of yoga, cosmos and the “animal” in me.

The titles are the 2-parted scientific names of the animal: 1st part being the name of the constellation and 2nd part being the yoga pose name.

The “animal” is presented through the pose and star constellation. I however, am a delicate and airy illustration of the animal.

We are intertwined.