‘Komorebi’ is a Japanese word for sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees.
There is no English equivalent of this expression but looking at Vitor Schietti‘s works inspires a similar thought, as they channel the power to enthrall any spectator. As part of his series ‘Esculturas Impermanentes‘, or Impermanent Sculptures, the Brazilian artist captures droplets of luminescence and makes them appear to be cascading down the branches of trees.
The photos, that combine up to 12 shots into a final image, are a mixture of in-camera light painting and post-processing. Using an inventive blend of fireworks and long-exposure photography, Schietti researched for years on neutral density filters (photography jargon alert) to find the perfect balance between just the right time of day (twilight) and the intensity of the fire crackers. He explains that it was hard work– only a few attempts were allowed per day, since the time frame during which this balance is possible is very narrow. However, Schietti’s skill makes it look almost effortless.
His long-exposure shots of electrical energy bursting through trees capture the natural beauty of his native Brazilian ‘Cerrados‘, a kind of savannah in the central plateau, which was the setting for most of his ‘experimentations’, as he calls them. He is enthusiastic about future plans and says,
It’s important to say the series is an ongoing process, and more will follow in the coming year or so.
His project, that plays with magical sparks of radiance, captures Schietti’s world view on the spirit and vitality of life. This is a theme that recurs in his other works as well, such as in his Formas Pensamento (Thought Forms) series, as vivid and dazzling as Impermanent Sculptures, in which he paints with water colours over photographs of the sky to represent the form of thought. His art is reminiscent of Brazilian culture and traditions, full of vigour and light as they tend to be.
His works can be accessed on his Flickr page as well as on his website.
