Means of Reproduction, One


Means of Reproduction is a photography project that explores the transformative power of seeds. I portray these microcosms as large and mysterious presences, evoking their latent energy and potential to initiate new life through their own transformation. Seeds and the vessels that shield them are essential elements of life, and a testament to life’s enormous vitality and resilience.

The passage of time is a strong element in my images. Seeds themselves are an embodiment of the long and invisible time that continues to shape them and to encapsulate within them the code for new life. Another signifier of passing time, decay, appears frequently and symbolizes memento more: not only is life fleeing and finite, life and death are two ends of the same continuum.

The selection of images in Means of Reproduction is personal and subjective: I depict only those seeds and seed pods I encounter in ordinary, everyday situations, often while walking. Making these images is an act of contemplation, of discovery and learning, and of love. It brings me closer to nature, whose astonishing designs I appreciate more than ever.




Means of Reproduction, Two


Means of Reproduction is a photography project that explores the transformative power of seeds. I portray these microcosms as large and mysterious presences, evoking their latent energy and potential to initiate new life through their own transformation. Seeds and the vessels that shield them are essential elements of life, and a testament to life’s enormous vitality and resilience.

The passage of time is a strong element in my images. Seeds themselves are an embodiment of the long and invisible time that continues to shape them and to encapsulate within them the code for new life. Another signifier of passing time, decay, appears frequently and symbolizes memento more: not only is life fleeing and finite, life and death are two ends of the same continuum.

The selection of images in Means of Reproduction is personal and subjective: I depict only those seeds and seed pods I encounter in ordinary, everyday situations, often while walking. Making these images is an act of contemplation, of discovery and learning, and of love. It brings me closer to nature, whose astonishing designs I appreciate more than ever.




The Sea Inside


The Sea Inside is my subjective exploration of the energy of moving water. The series relies on abstraction and rich monochromatic palette to express the most elemental aspects of this great natural force. These photographs are made in the tradition of expressionist photography. While the images are captured with a camera, the prints are imbued with my own imprint, my own thoughts and emotional maps. Ocean waves are untamable, but I expressed them on paper as if I could somehow calm them, slow them to a crawl, and step inside to touch the essence of this force.


"Meticulous editing and printmaking help Svjetlana Tepavcevic turn her 'wave portraits' into complex works of abstract art."

– Conor Risch
(”Sea Inside,” PDN, Feb., 2011)


"For me it is all that water can be, all that ocean is for us."

– Dr. Anthony Bannon
(Juror talk, Portfolio Show, Atlanta Photography Group, Dec. 4, 2010)





Infinite – Sky Rose Study


This project is a study of E. Fay Jones’ Sky Rose Chapel in Whittier, California. I was drawn to the building’s interior. It inspired me to look inward, to contemplate the nature of life, my place in the outer world, and the universe beyond. My photographs aim to capture transcendental quality of the architectural design in this jewel of a building.

The striking feature of the design is the "disconnected connectors," a network of crisscrossing bracings that span the ceiling. At the heart of this complicated feature is a simple pattern. Through the seemingly unending repetition and variation of this simple pattern arises a complex network, which is entirely abstract yet recalls the organic and natural world. It reminded me of Bach’s music, and that we are part of a larger whole.

Light plays an essential role in how space inside the building is perceived. There are windows on all four sides of the building, including a large skylight that spans the ceiling. What one sees, and how one experiences the building, changes with the passage of light. Each given moment brings unique impressions. Light disturbs the symmetries and creates a sense of continuity between the inside and outside. Time stops, giving way to the infinite.



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