Canadian award-winning photographer Laura Jane Petelko created a series titled Ma during the pandemic. The photographs are done in Petelko’s signature blurred abstraction, an ode to her medical condition that has caused her to lose her eyesight. Ma itself is a series of portraits Petelko has made of performance artists in action. These include renowned names such as Andrea Nan from the National Ballet of Canada and actor Chloe Rose. In the photographs, Petelko’s abstraction rids them of their individuality, leaving behind forms that can be universally recognized as human beings, emphasizing their shared humanity.
The series becomes especially poignant considering how the advent of artificially generated art has increasingly eroded society’s value of artists. Ma serves as a reminder of the human beings behind beautiful and impactful artworks, whose mastery and artistry should not be replaced by Artificial Intelligence. As the series was made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the series’ abstraction also becomes a celebration of humanity’s universal love for the arts that have repeatedly inspired people, improving their mental health to keep going for one more day. This is, again, an attribute of the arts that is important to remember during today’s tumultuous times. This is why Ma by Laura Jane Petelko is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Decent Work And Economic Growth and Good Health And Well-Being.
The series title, Ma, is a Japanese philosophy which calls for people to place value in empty spaces and silences. Rather than calling for the total absence of things, a total void, Ma is about creating the space to stop, breathe, rest and reflect so that people can do well in different aspects of their lives. Hence, it is yet again Petelko's way of emphasizing the well-being benefit of the arts, showcasing that it is a space where people can rest and contemplate without judgment so that they will be able to improve their mental strength.
Laura Jane Petelko’s Ma is a poignant celebration of the arts, artists and the shared humanity that unites them with the everyday viewer, especially in challenging times. Through her signature blurred abstraction, Petelko pays homage to performance artists and emphasizes the universal power of art to inspire, heal and provide solace. Petelko’s work becomes a call to honour the enduring importance of the arts in fostering personal and collective growth.
Find out more about Ma and other pieces by Laura Jane Petelko on her website www.laurajanepetelko.com or Instagram @laurajanepetelko.