“Ma is a Japanese concept of negative space that relates to all aspects of life. Rather than an absence, it is the gap in perception that allows for diffuse thought. The interval created, whether in the mind or the physical realm, is a regenerative pause. Within this space, a break in the composition of our active minds can exist, deepening our awareness of what is around us.
Laura Jane Petelko photographed her 'Ma' series during the pandemic lockdowns; collaborating with dancers from the National Ballet Of Canada, choreographers and other artists, who were unable to perform at the time, the images were photographed outside and at a distance with the aim to transcend the moment and the reality, we were all living through. (With thanks to: actor, Chloe Rose; dancer, Adelaide Sadler; choreographer and dancer, Andrea Nan; and from the National Ballet Of Canada: Connor Hamilton, Calley Skalnik (First Soloist) and Siphe November (Principal Dancer).”