Inna Etuvgi - When We Said "Yes!"

CUANDO DIJIMOS "¡SÍ!"
fine art photography print by Inna Etuvgi



"WHEN WE SAID "YES!" is a macro photograph of a Cladonia Pyxidata lichen couple adorned with drops of dew, captured in the forest of Huskvarna in Sweden.
 
As one who grew up in the far north, my heart resonates with the delicate beauty of mosses and lichens. Often overlooked, these underrated masterpieces of nature play pivotal roles in our ecosystem. Through my lens, I capture their intricate details, turning them into collectible prints, revealing the art of nature that speaks volumes about the value of these tiny heroes.
 
This photograph speaks about lichens as a bright testament to synergy. Emerging from the symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae, lichens develop abilities that allow them to thrive when many others cannot.
 
It is the same when, in communication, both sides say "yes" to each other, creating a system when 1+1 is greater than 2!
 
And isn't it about a family where partners love and respect each other? This is what I capture in this photo of Cladonias—the moment when two say yes to each other.


ABOUT THE PRINT:

Type: Original Fine Art Print (Macro Photography)
Image Size: 30 x 37,5 cm
Paper Size: 33 x 41 cm
Paper: Archival Museum-quality paper, 100% cotton, 300gsm
Edition: 2/25
Authenticity: Signed and numbered by the artist; includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Condition: New, shipped directly from the artist's studio in Sweden.


EDITION

This work is presented in a Special Catawiki Edition (30×37.5 cm image on 33×41 cm paper). The artist's larger-scale Studio and Master Editions are sold through premier online galleries; this size is not available through any gallery or platform. It can only be acquired directly from the artist's studio or through selected auction releases. Produced to the same archival standards as all editions.


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Inna Etuvgi is a Swedish-Chukchi art photographer and digital artist, internationally recognised as an Arte Laguna Prize finalist (Venice) and a recipient of the Swedish Arts Grants Committee grant. Born in a remote Arctic village in Chukotka and trained in technical cybernetics, she began her artistic practice in 2020 and has since exhibited across Europe — in Venice, London, Barcelona, Palermo, and San Marino.

Etuvgi lives with aphantasia — she cannot see images in her mind. Her camera and AI serve as extensions of her visual imagination, allowing her to create what she cannot picture internally. Through macro photography she enters the hidden worlds of mosses, lichens, and dewdrops; through digital art she gives form to psychological states and inner archetypes. Both are rooted in a deep sensitivity shaped by her Chukchi upbringing — an instinct to feel into every living thing.

As art critic Tabish Khan notes: "Her work transports us to other worlds — both real and imaginary, but always in harmony with nature."