Behind The Glass of Proust
IntroMy mother-in-law calls the vestibule in front of her summer kitchen in Northern Bulgaria a proust *. This small space serves as a cooking area, a storage spot for seedlings, and a catch-all for everyday items. An old iron door and glass panels protect the entrance and provide a perfect corner for photography. Light filters gently through the branches of an old apple tree, ideal for capturing my close-up visuals. The first time I aimed my camera there, she was surprised. "Oh, Arslan, why are you photographing this place? It’s such a mess." Her reaction challenged me to find beauty in this modest space. Whenever she mentions the proust, I think of Marcel Proust and his novel In Search of Lost Time, which suggests that art and literature allow us to capture and preserve life, helping us rediscover time through creation and memory.
All the flowers and plants in these photographs are fragments of time - the result of her care and effort to grow them, so they could bring joy to the eye, and sometimes to gift our family with fruits and vegetables. Although I began this series in 2025, I have been photographing in the proust since 2008. This tiny place taught me to seek out light and beauty in lifeless everyday objects. It taught me patience and how to store away time that no one needs anymore. * In Bulgarian, “proust” (пруст) refers to a small entrance hall or open area in front of rooms, likely deriving from the Greek word “πρόσθιος,” meaning “situated at the front.” |
Spring |
