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Photo exhibit inspired by Hygge and life’s simple pleasures

February 15, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Hygge is a word meaning a Danish way of living well by embracing the present and enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

It is the inspiration for the exhibit titled ‘The Place Where Time Stops’ currently at the Gibson Centre in Alliston.

Artist, Svetlana Lazareva, is the creator of the exhibit which features photographs from her and her family’s lavender farm in Adjala-Tosorontio.

The exhibit features photos of lavender plants along with other items designed to create a sense of serenity and calmness.

Svetlana was inspired by the land that surrounds her and that led to her picking up her camera despite never having been a photographer in the past. However, she admits it is part of something that has always been inside her as well as in other various artistic ways.

“I’ve been a photographer all my life – I just never knew it,” Svetlana explained. “I just picked up my camera and enjoyed taking pictures. I think being an artist is part of my being. I enjoy cooking – that’s my art. Gardening – that’s my art.”

After moving to the farm, Svetlana started growing lavender after making sure the soil conditions and other factors were good for the plant. Currently, there are around 900 lavender plants on the farm.

“The lavender was so beautiful the first summer it bloomed, I didn’t want the moment to pass,” Svetlana explained. “That’s were I got the idea of ‘that’s where time stops.’ This was the place where you don’t feel the time passing.”

She began setting up the lavender with other items and photographed the scene. All the photos in the exhibit were taken in one day.

“It was a beautiful day,” Svetlana explained. “It was a Saturday and the lavender was in full bloom. It took a whole day to set things up.”

The photos are all printed on canvas, and Svetlana sewed on the borders herself.

Svetlana enjoys the serenity of being on her farm.

“One time a friend said to me, ‘you have a Huygge lifestyle.’ At the time I didn’t know what that meant, so I started doing research on it. I realized that even though we aren’t Danish, we create the same lifestyle.”

The exhibit inspires a sense of serenity and calmness, which is what Svetlana was hoping for.

An opening reception was held on Sunday, Feb. 11.

The Place Where Time Stops will be on exhibit at the Gibson Centre through March 29.

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