OSTANKI SVETLOBE

Serija fotografij Ostanki svetlobe je produkt fotografove večletne meditacije na temo spreminjajočih se dinamik v oblikovanju družbe in njenega odnosa do narave. Sam naslov izraža glavne plasti, ki se zrcalijo v likovni ekspresiji fotografij. Osnova fotografije, izražena tudi v sami etimologiji besede, je "risanje s svetlobo''. Svetloba za nas (kot filozofski miselni eksperiment drevesa v gozdu, ki ne pade, če ga nihče ne sliši pasti) ne obstaja, če ni ujeta z očmi ali zabeležena na fotografski film. Prav niansirana uporaba svetlobe je najbolj značilna za ustvarjanje Branimirja Ritonje v tem obdobju. Fotografije, ki slogovno spominjajo na piktorialistično tradicijo fotografiranja, so dopolnjene s pripovedno noto. Navidezno naključni prizori so povezani z raziskovanjem človekovih posegov v naravo. Zapuščena polja, ki jih ne izkoriščamo več za pridelovanje, temveč za postavitve vedno novih tovarn, trgovskih kompleksov in ostalih orodij kapitalizma, ostanejo uničena še dolgo po tem, ko se le-ta preselijo na nove, večje prostore. Mesto postaja vedno širša industrijska cona, narava pa okrnjena, ko je kvota tega, kar človek potrebuje, presežena. Povsod najdemo majhne opomnike pohlepnih teženj in majhnost človeka ni več merjena z njegovo podobo v naravi, temveč z nepotrebnimi presežki lastne produktivnosti. Fotograf v fotografije vnaša mirno, nežno, a obenem zlovešče vzdušje, kar ustreza ritmu človeka, ki v sodobnem času ne opazi škodljivih sprememb, če se okolje spreminja počasi, a konstantno. Ostanek svetlega je zadnje upanje, možnost, da osvetlimo tudi najtemnejše dele našega obstoja. 

Photographic series Remnants of Light is a product of photographer’s long-term meditations on the topic of the changing dynamics in the development of the society and its relationship to nature. The title itself expresses main layers which are reflected in the artistic expression of the photographs. Basis of photography is, considering the etymology of the word itself, “drawing with light”. The light (similarly to the philosophical thought experiment of the tree that does not fall, if no one is around to hear it) does not exist, if it is not seen or caught on the photographic film. Nuanced use of light is particularly characteristic for this creative period of Branimir Ritonja. Photographs which stylistically allude to the tradition of Pictorialism era of photography are enriched by a narrative quality. Seemingly randomly chosen scenes are connected to the research of the human interference with nature. Abandoned fields are no longer used for agricultural purposes, but for creating new factories, shopping centres and other tools of capitalism and they stay destroyed long after these are moved to new, bigger spaces. City is becoming an ever-expanding industrial zone and nature stays damaged when the quota of human needs is exceeded. We find little reminders of human greed everywhere, and the smallness of a person is no longer measured against its position in nature, but according to its ratio to its own unneeded surplus of production. The photographer displays a peaceful, gentle but menacing atmosphere, which fits the rhythm of modern human, who does not notice harmful changes around him, if the environment is changing slowly but constantly. The remnant of light is the last hope, a chance to brighten even the darkest parts of our existence.