Same But Different by Shira Gold

“My art is alert to the discomfort we all face in our daily lives. I want to turn pain and angst on its side to discover the beauty that accompanies our struggles.”

  Photography has always been the antidote for Shira Gold’s busy mind - a visual expression that defies verbal articulation. Her sizeable bodies of work are steeped in personal narratives and observations, exploring subjects of grief, identity, change and wonder.

  Shira utilizes still life and landscape as metaphors for themes common to us all and often left unspoken. Stillness, negative space and minimalism are consistent characters that have become hallmarks in her work, providing visual respite and a means to focus on intention and simplicity.

  Shira’s work has garnered her recognition through various international awards, including The Fine Art Photo Awards, Lens Culture Art Photography Awards and International Photo Awards, among others. She has been published internationally in noted publications including The Guardian and The Times newspapers, The British Journal of Photography/1854, Dodho, photoED Magazine, and more.

Shira’s art has been exhibited in public spaces and galleries throughout North America, and in Spain, Greece and France. Shira currently lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.

In a world over-stimulated by information and sensory distractions, we only have so much space for our stuff before it swallows us whole. In response to the accumulations of the material world, there has been a deluge of messages to “de-clutter,” to “work through,” or to “make space.” These mantra-like instructions are useful but challenging to put into practice. The past is not so easily cut off. The fears that limited us, our false notions of self, our disappointments and heartbreaks—these are reminders of where we came from, what has shaped us, and who we wish to become. Memories we cherish, like jewels from our youth, are held tightly even when time causes them to lose their vitality.

Suspended botanicals convey the delicate push and pull that accompanies the process of letting go. Delicate by nature, the blossoms metamorphose with the passage of time and the influence of the elements. Clear waters can appear dark or opaque; vivid memories can slip below the surface only to re-emerge transformed by new meaning. Reminiscent of a ritual bath, these pieces seek to purify, holding for a moment in time the beauty of the past as the self flows forward. Letting go of the past involves venturing into the unknown. The practice of doing so is much like practicing an art form. We sift through past pains and triumphs, taking what we need. We draw meaning, re-work the narratives of our personal struggles and, when we can, we release.