Most of us have likely heard the expression “[Today / This] is the first day of the rest of your life” – but what exactly does it mean when we hear it / say it? What does it pertain to life and how we face it?
For most of us, the response to that question might well lean towards the promise that with each new day comes the opportunity to seize new opportunities, to put the past behind us and look forward to all the potential the future offers. For others, however, the expression might be seen as more a curse than an expression of hope, as Selen Minotaur explores in her exhibition The First Day, (subtitled of the rest of your life) which opened on May 13th, 2024 at Dido Haas’ Nitroglobus Roof gallery.
The easiest way to describe the installation – which encompasses 2D and 3D elements an multimedia, is to refer to Selen’s own words:
“The first day of the rest of your life” usually refers to a new beginning, full of promise and hope. But what if that first day was actually a repeat of the previous days, or worse, a nightmare?
This exhibition speaks of the fears, beliefs and fantasies that invade us in the face of the unknown. And the courage it takes to overcome them, mobilize and move forward. Because no matter what anyone says, the first day of the rest of your life remains a mystery…
In terms of the images, this brings forth a series of richly layered pieces which, depending on your mood and perspective on visiting, might be interpreted in differing ways, both within the context of the the exhibition’s theme and in a manner which might also encapsulate different aspects of both it and how we opt to interpret the underpinning expression.
Take The First Station, a marvellously layer image encapsulating ideas of trying to move forward in life whilst forever unable to leave what has come before as it seeks to pin us in place and blind our ability to see how we can move forward, instead making us look forever back at what has been rather than towards the freedom of what might be. Beautifully symbolised through the use of red colouring, the black and reaching out from between the rail sleepers, the tracks themselves and the eye in the mirror, the symbolic core of this piece is perfectly framed.
Then there is First Sunrise. This is a piece which might be seen as one of those casting a wider net of potential interpretation. The promise of a new day, of open horizons and all the promise they hold – be they through the arrival of a new day which marks our decision to mark it as a new beginning, our “first sunrise”, so to speak, or the literal first sunrise of birth. At the same time, the Sun rises as a clock, the ever present reminder that life is finite; that no matter who or where we are, we are allotted a finite time. Do we allow it to dominate us, to cause us to live in fear of the every diminishing pile of minutes left to us? Or do we simply “live in the moment”? Where does the balance lay? Is life itself not a state of progress from the former to the latter?
There is more I could state here around the likes of the caged head, the face mask, and the 3d elements; in fact, I did start – but the reality is, The First Day should be experienced first hand and interpreted directly – and possibly over more than one visit. All I will say here is that I recommend viewing the images and sculptures first prior to viewing the video; in this way, ideas are neatly framed and the narrative then unfolds.
SLurl Details
- Nitroglobus Roof Gallery (Sunshine Homestead, rated Moderate)
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