Marta Djourina’s solo exhibition Glowing Attraction presents works that make natural light phenomena visible without a camera. The series Glowing Attraction, Ashes of Ice, and Fluid Contact bring together unique pieces created in situ. Djourina examines the nature of light as a theme, tool, and object of investigation.

The focus of the eponymous series of works is on bioluminescent algae, which were first mentioned in Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1872). Djourina cultivates these organisms and makes them glow by shaking their test tubes. The light they emit is recorded on photosensitive paper, leading to abstract compositions in yellowish and red tones. It was not until the 1990s that proof emerged of the human body’s own bioluminescent capabilities. We do not see that we are glowing.

For Fluid Contact, which explores the relationship between water and light, Djourina works with the water of the Seine River, while the ice photograms in Ashes of Ice were made in Estonia. Using a magnifying glass, the artist melted ice directly onto analogue material to illustrate the power of sunlight.