Pneuma

"Pneuma" _
Lewis Derogene (PhenomenaLewis) _
Self-Portrait Photograph | 2020 _
16.5in x 11.25in _
Limited Edition of 5 AP | 4 AP Left _

When PhenomenaLewis created "Pneuma," there was a notable absence of preliminary sketches or preconceived idea. She dove headfirst into the creative process, pinning one of her bedsheets to the ceiling, strategically facing the windows. Seated on her bed, she grabbed her pillows and posed, all while wearing the same attire she typically wore to sleep. The spontaneity and lack of meticulous planning were evident in every aspect of this photograph.
As the post-production phase began, PhenomenaLewis initially regarded it as a potential addition to her unpublished archive of photographs. However, what unfolded in the editing process was nothing short of extraordinary. The art itself seemed to come to life, as if it possessed a voice and a vision of its own. It communicated with her, guiding her in post-production and dictating how it should appear, how it should manifest as a final work of art.
In honor of this profound connection and the sense that the photograph had, in some way, absorbed a part of her soul, she bestowed upon it the title "Pneuma." This term, steeped in spiritual and philosophical significance, resonated with the notion that the artwork had transcended the confines of a two-dimensional image and entered a realm of its own, a dimension where the art and artist converged to breathe life into a new and captivating form.