Elena Khramova: Stay at home
This photographic project presents a meticulously constructed still-life series that uses surreal domestic imagery to explore themes of vulnerability, containment, and quiet tension during the pandemic. Through careful staging, everyday objects are transformed into symbolic forms that sit between humour and discomfort.
Khramova demonstrates strong conceptual discipline, using repetition and restraint to create visual cohesion across the series. The lighting is deliberately precise, allowing textures, surfaces, and subtle colour contrasts to remain clear without overpowering the narrative intent. Each frame is balanced with intention, guiding the viewer’s eye while maintaining a sense of stillness and unease.
Styling and prop arrangement are handled with confidence, showing an acute awareness of scale, placement, and visual rhythm. The recurring motifs are neither over-explained nor decorative, instead functioning as quiet anchors that reinforce the conceptual framework of the work. This approach allows the series to feel considered rather than illustrative.
Overall, the project succeeds as a refined and thoughtful body of work that reflects the anxieties of the 2020s beautifully.
Photographer: Elena Khramova