Yvette Monahan

A revolution of stardust

After my daughter was born in 2016, my practice changed. In fact, everything changed. Childbirth had been both a primal and esoteric experience. It felt like a cosmic shift had happened.
 Also, the time and ability to spend long periods out in the world working on photography projects had become restricted. However, longer periods in the domestic setting created a new domestic seeing.
One morning last year, I looked in the sink at a pattern created by coffee grinds. On closer viewing, it resembled a moonscape. I started to see images close at hand that mirrored the universe; the cosmic in the everyday. The water drops on the shower door took on meteoric qualities. Cobwebs assumed the form of entire galaxies. Circles and spirals appeared everywhere. The mundane became magic.
NASA studies have shown that 97% of our bodies consist of the same kind of atoms as stardust. Some of our bodies may have originated from the Big Bang, so we could be partially made from dying stars. Maybe Joni Mitchell was right, we are stardust, billion-year-old carbon, we are golden.

1. Interior grid of a confession box.
  1. Interior grid of a confession box.
2. Microcosmic detail of cobwebs on the window
  1. Microcosmic detail of cobwebs on the window
3. Skylashes
  1. Skylashes
4. Interior of glass jar with drawing and gold leaf
  1. Interior of glass jar with drawing and gold leaf
5. Microcosmic detail of water beads on cobweb
  1. Microcosmic detail of water beads on cobweb
6. Moonlight on the sea
  1. Moonlight on the sea
7. Water resonance
  1. Water resonance
8. Circle etching with gold paint
  1. Circle etching with gold paint
9. Imprints made in clay and glass wax with gold paint
  1. Imprints made in clay and glass wax with gold paint
10. Night sky with gold powder
  1. Night sky with gold powder