Catching Fire I, 2011 by Maria Theresa Moerman Ib

In her submission, Contender Maria Theresa Moerman Ib captured the remnants of a fire in her pictures of soot-laden cobwebs. Looking similar to peeling skin, unraveling fabric or disintegrating leaves, the photos serve as a testament to the frailty, yet resilience, of ephemeral structures.

Catching Fire II, 2011 by Maria Theresa Moerman Ib

In her statement, the photographer explains:

My work explores borderlands: between the familiar and the unknown; between the poetic and the grotesque; things that are hidden; things we don't notice, or don't want to notice. My aim is always to recreate a mood or memory that urges us to rediscover the world and ourselves one fragment at a time. A recent fire in the basement of my building inspired me to document and subsequently recreate the atmosphere left after the blaze had been put out. Fire is ephemeral, so it is difficult to capture its essence. In nature, fire is both destructive and life-giving. It destroys the old and encourages new life to take form. The black cobwebs thick with soot, collected in situ, serve as a forensic investigation of unseen things lost and gained. Webs are often associated with fear of spiders, dark corners and time passing, but for the spider they are a temporary dwelling place and a means of survival. This time they have caught an element of fire, allowing a memory that is as fragile as themselves to survive.

Catching Fire III, 2011 by Maria Theresa Moerman Ib

Catching Fire IV, 2011 by Maria Theresa Moerman Ib

Born in The Netherlands, photographer Maria Theresa Moerman Ib currently lives and works in Glasgow, U.K. She is currently working towards obtaining a BA (Hons) in fine art photography from the Glasgow School of Art, and has had her work in exhibitions in Europe and the U.S. To view more of her work, visit her site.

Catching Fire V, 2011 by Maria Theresa Moerman Ib