top of page
PRINTS & SESSIONS
​ANNA SWAGERMAN

AS IF IN A DREAM 2024 / video / color / 8:05 min. 

‘As if in a Dream’ is a short film showing life in a temple in Yamaguchi, Japan, inspired by the daily recurring rhythm and tasks which hold their own quiet beauty. Sasaki Ritsuko, a 95-year-old woman, lives in the temple, under the care of the head monk. Although she can no longer walk upright, she continues to take part in daily routines by cleaning the floor every morning. Sitting on the ground, she pushes herself forward with her hands, following the same path each day. Living alongside someone of an older age shapes the pace of life in the temple, creating steady, recurring patterns and routines that become meaningful over time.

 

This work was part of a residency through Van Gogh Artist in Residence

AS IF IN A DREAM 2024 / photo series / digital photographs / color 

'As if in a Dream' is a photo series captured in Yamaguchi, Japan. On the island, some people hold a deep belief that everything around us carries a spiritual essence or energy. Mountains, rivers, places, animals, people, and even inanimate objects are thought to possess a soul. This soul is believed to grow stronger when a deep attachment forms to the object or being.

 

This work was part of a residency through Van Gogh Artist in Residence