Open Theme nominee

Nature, an eternal fountain of youth. In nature we recharge our batteries, strength and confidence.

When you feel lost, have to make a difficult decision, prepare for something important, we often go out into nature to find answers. We are looking for solutions, relaxation, love, happiness, joy, peace, escape from the noise of the environment and connect with the richness of creation.

Also under water, we are in nature, very closely connected to it. Where breathing stops, where the seemingly endless water carries you, where the feeling of weightlessness accompanies you, similar to a fetus in the womb, there you find centeredness.

There is no everyday life that distracts, no phone call, no conventions, no social obligation, there is neither past nor future, everything falls away and you are completely enveloped by the liquid element. There is that feeling of peace and timelessness. This being cut off makes it easier to concentrate completely on one's own body.

“What you are looking for is already in you...You already are everything you are seeking.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

Nature makes it easier for us to find focus, to hear the voice of our heart in silence.

JuliaAquaArt, an artist specializing in underwater photography, uses the medium to express creativity, ideas, and emotions. Her journey has been as vibrant as the images she captures.

At 16, she saved up for her first analog SLR camera and refined her skills through studies in photography, art history, painting, and craftwork at the Arts & Crafts School Vienna. She later pursued a master’s degree in design and product management, where she also took courses in product photography.

It was just before the COVID-19 pandemic that she fully immersed herself in underwater photography—a field that continues to captivate her. Always eager to experiment, she explores new materials, techniques, and creative concepts.

Exhibitions:
• BEYOND THE SURFACE | Arles OFF, festival Les Rencontres de la photographie Arles, France, 2024
• SUBSURFACE | Angewandte Festival, University of Arts Vienna, Austria, 2024
• GOLDEN NIGHT | Artboxproject Airport Basel, during ArtBasel, Switzerland, 2024

Nominated: Monochrome Photography Awards 2024
Published: photo book 'Beneath the SURFACE" 2024
Published: German photo magazine Profifoto 7-8.24
Nominated for participation at the Arles OFF of Les Rencontres de la photographie
Nominated Neptune State Prize 2023 - Environment and Innovation Award for Sustainable Development, Water Projects: Creative Division