Hingus

The only concrete thing I could think about in relation to this project is that it’s an ongoing exploration into matters like friendship and existence as well as soul and self-awareness. Unquestionably topics for timeless contemplation while relaxing in a warm bath in complete darkness wouldn’t you say? Because that’s exactly where I asked my friends to be while hunting for that fleeting image of one’s unique essence/soul that I hoped would sparkle inside their eyes. The root word for “Hingus” in Estonian is “Hing” that translates to “Soul”, while “Hingus” itself could be translated “to have a Breath”, or having the “vibe/essence of breathing”. For me it represents a clever wordplay where ones soul could be viewed as the catalyst for breathing, for existing. In my imagination that has a heavy sci-fi influence to it I wondered whether or not this sparkle of essence would be some sort of being of energy that uses one’s body as a vessel to experience life in another way. So I thought of a portal in the form of water (or the most fundamental ingredient of life) where this being of energy could transform into a being of matter and draw its first breath. While photographing my friends I started to notice that the shapes and symbols captured inside the eyes would sometimes be very easy to interpret, while others required closer examination and more effort. Also some shapes confirmed what I had considered myself about the person while others were a complete mystery. But the biggest surprise of all remains the fact that almost all who I have asked have had the courage and the will to participate in this weird project of mine. And for that I am truly grateful. And while some friends are still getting ready for their first bath-portrait experience I am also looking ahead and wondering if the sparkling shapes and symbols (and friends for that matter) remain the same if I repeat this process someday.