Scenes from an Island
“No man is an island, entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” – Meditations XVII by John Donne

The overarching theme of Scenes from an Island is the human condition of displacement and transience and elemental conditions of landscape where land meets water. This is played out against Ingmar Bergman’s mise-en-scène, the barren cinematic landscape on the remote island of Fårö, Sweden.

There, natural elements are stripped down and laid bare, allowing a contemplation of the rocks and water to function as a mirror, and in reflection, you are able to see an essence of yourself.

This work resonates even more now because of the circumstances that we have found ourselves in. Donne’s poem speaks about the idea of non-separation and connection. What started as a search for an authentic home through the relation to nature as source, became a practice of alignment and being in presence.

In a society where naturality, secularism and individualism rules, the relationship to nature is almost religious as a way of finding connection. It is a utopian dream to coexist in harmony with nature, a relationship that is both contradictory and exclusive.

“Midway in life, I found myself standing on the barren shores, a wild and rocky pile of land, facing the Baltic Sea.” Montmare had been invited to The Ingmar Bergman’s residence, hidden away on the shore.

At first it was only the landscape that she photographed. With time Montmare populated the images, staging scenarios in various locations. The images are interiors and exteriors; landscape sans figures and landscape with figures transitioning through. Bodies in motion contrasted to the desolate topography and its dramaturgy, mountains that have eroded, the earth, the water and the air. A contemplation on transience; body, movement and the surrounding elements.

Being able to see a complete unbroken horizon is important for psychological balance. The barren shores, overlooking a horizon, are broken only by a spire of an old church, windmills and some pine groves. Working with an inconspicuous subdued palette, Montmare intentionally break up the horizon, to throw off the spatial perspective and balance, creating a sense of disorientation.

Making this work comes from a desire to pause and contemplate, away from distraction and convenience. She peels away layers to get to the elemental; and then reconstruct the frame.

As we participate in humanity, art and relations to nature have the capacity to heal. Art has the power to transcend and transform. She hopes this can open up a space for people to find a breathing space and personal interpretations.

Most of Montmare’s work is process based and interdisciplinary – from concept and discussions, to production and execution.

Returning to similar subjects, narrating them in different ways — she peels off layers, touching upon visceral aspects of life — whether it is in a film, a photograph, a performance or an installation.

Identity, displacement and transience are themes that interest her. The work is usually site specific where Montmare stages different scenarios, in which the body’s presence and absence is a metaphor for impermanence and transience. Her approach is with a sense of expanded time, allowing the viewer to contemplate a deeper meaning buried within the language. The process is like meditating which Montmare has practiced for many years. Initially there is an influx of thoughts flowing through the mind’s eye, before purifying the mind and finding stillness. Here she starts with the empty space before the landscape fills up with scenes and rituals and characters begin to enter. Montmare is interested in exploring a realm of images and fragmented allegorical tales, without the necessity of an obvious narrative, she hopes they will function as a catalyst for the viewer’s personal fantasies.

This is an excerpt from Florence Montmare’s personal diary written at The Bergman Estate residency, 2015.

Persona Beach, Hammars, 2015

“I sought myself and found the Island. It was a wild and rocky pile of land facing the Baltic sea. Windswept tangled vegetation that grows low to the roots. Still looking for mine. I was looking for home and at the very core of it, solitude. The kind that is earned over time, which passed when I left. It was a strange uncompromising attraction. I returned over and over again. The Island forces me to revisit memories, dreams, fears, shortcomings. In the silence, time expands. There is a slight chill in the air and the ocean is waiting, a giant mirror.” Florence Montmare