Roadside Picnic

Katerina Belkina

Photography - Archival Pigment Print

I dream about space, about planets and universes. It is always about the future, about romance and excitement for me. Yet, at the same time, I am also rooted in the here and now and think about my home - planet Earth. What's wrong with me? What's wrong with the human beings on this Earth? There is so much suffering everywhere that people do not want to be where they are, they believe that there must be a better world somewhere. What difference can a single citizen of the earth make? One singular, microscopic human being cannot solve anything. But our mind is its own universe, different for every single one of us. And in this universe, we can create our own reality, our own phantoms, which become the reasons for our decisions, for our actions, and ultimately for our historical facts. Now, in yet another difficult moment in our history, I dare to imagine that each of us can find comfort in our own imaginary space full of planets, stars and even galaxies that we ourselves have created. After all, we were born to live in space, and indeed, we do. I walk around my house collecting all kinds of things that have nothing to do with each other: simple materials, paper, stones, even flour. I find a little corner by the window and build a strange, imaginary and alien landscape there in this nook. Little by little it becomes real. I arrange one of my chosen planets. I will place myself on that one. Another one is placed in my arms. I will endow it with the essence. As if there are two equivalent cosmic bodies: something outside our atmosphere that is powerful and influential, ruling tides and people and our personal one - our own totem. I try to overcome my fears by focusing on timelessness and at the same time on the moment in its impermanence. We often miss out on being in the moment because we are so busy living our lives. But being in the moment is perfect for marveling at life. And being here reminds me that I can stop time at any time; that any of us can if we want to. It may be hard, but it is so simple.