Anna Hayat & Slava Pirsky
Postbotanica
12 (Sat) ~ 27 (Sun) April 2025
This exhibition redefines our relationship with the natural world through large-format Polaroid photographs of dried botanical forms. Embracing the unique aesthetics of vintage Polaroid film, the works highlight patterns, imperfections and transformations, offering a fresh perspective on floral imagery.
The tactile essence of the subjects emerges vividly, where cracks, folds, and deterioration become points of intrigue. These physical qualities—from sharp thorns to withered petals—invite audiences to engage with their material presence rather than symbolic or sentimental associations. Nature is presented as an independent force, neither romanticized nor idealized. Removed from their natural environments and staged in the studio, these fragmented forms reflect a post-humanist perspective, challenging anthropocentric ideals of beauty and permanence. The plants, autonomous and decontextualized, encourage a reconsideration of humanity’s relationship with the non-human world.
Dried flora subvert traditional notions of flowers as symbols of vitality or loss. Here, decay becomes a testament to resilience and transformation. The large-format Polaroid film amplifies these themes, its unique textures and tonal gradients paralleling the transient beauty of the subjects. Postbotanica celebrates nature’s autonomy, inviting viewers to find beauty in impermanence and transformation.
Featured Works
Monochrome Portraits of Dried Botanicals
Chromatic Portraits of Botanicals
Artists
Anna Hayat and Slava Pirsky are Israeli photographers known for their collaborative work in analog photography. Originally from the Soviet Union, they immigrated to Israel in the early 1990s and met in Jerusalem in 1999. Since then, they have been partners in both life and art.
Their creative process revolves around analog photography, particularly expired Polaroid large-format black-and-white negative films, which ceased production in 2008. They work with both large studio cameras and small field Polaroid cameras, embracing the unpredictability of aged negatives to infuse their images with a distinctive character and timeless quality.
In response to recent global events, Hayat and Pirsky have expanded into mixed media, incorporating tearing, cutting, stitching, and patching into their photographs. This evolution reflects their emotional responses to contemporary realities and has been showcased in exhibitions at the Ramlah Museum and the Kyotographie International Photography Festival in Japan. Their work has been exhibited worldwide.