KOI

• Photographer
  Patrizia Zelano
• Prizes
  Silver in Nature/Underwater

KOI A sudden movement in the water, a rapid change in direction. A mantra, a 12-24 inch whip of colors, photographed one moment before its transformation into a dragon. What makes a koi carp immortal is not its longevity but the repetition of its movement. This movement has no link to other koi carps. I have studied the koi carp movements for months. I have recorded its sounds and photographed its color symmetry and distortion. As time went by, the fish disintegrated into water and so I wondered if water was the supreme power, the hyperbolic lens of the fish. In Japan the koi carp is a symbol of courage, luck and immortality. According to an ancient legend, gods turned this fish into a dragon because of its tenacity. The koi carp represents the man who becomes uplifted and comes to life. It is the sign of initiation to infinity. Patrizia Zelano