October 21 – November 8, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 22, 5 – 8 pm
Artist Talk: Sunday, November 8, 2 – 3 pm
In Desert Frequencies, I explore memory, dreams, and my connection to the past. I am interested in the way memories behave like frequencies—sometimes clear, sometimes interrupted, sometimes almost lost, yet still present somewhere beneath the surface. The mid-century modern objects and technologies that appear in my paintings—vintage radios, transistors, tape recorders, and other familiar forms—come from a time when tuning in
required patience and attention. For me, they have become vessels of memory, transmitting fragments of voices, music, places, relationships and former versions of ourselves.
I see the vast desert landscape as both a tangible environment and an inner, psychological space. Its immensity creates silence, but within that silence exist countless frequencies. My figures rest, wait, dream, and listen. They seem suspended somewhere between past and present, between reality and memory. They try to tune into something distant—a forgotten moment, or the Earth frequency.
I am particularly drawn to the contrast between mid-century modern technology and the timelessness of the landscape. The radios and tape recorders already belong to another era, while the desert seems ancient and permanent. Yet neither is permanent. Technologies become obsolete, memories fade, and landscapes transform.
This brings me to another important frequency running through the exhibition: our relationship with the Earth. I want these vast spaces to evoke beauty and freedom, but also vulnerability. We often move through the natural world without fully recognizing how every interaction leaves a trace. What appears endless and indestructible is not. Through neglect, consumption and our disconnection from nature, a living landscape can change
dramatically—in what feels like a second, abundance can become an empty desert.
For me, Desert Frequencies is ultimately about listening; listening to memories, to dreams, to the fading signals of the past, and to the quieter signals of the Earth. Through these paintings, I ask myself what I choose to carry forward, what I am leaving behind, and whether I am paying enough attention to the frequencies that may disappear if I fail to hear them.
Jelena Duma, originally from Belgrade, Serbia, is a visual artist based in both Toronto and Lisbon. With a background in mathematics, software engineering, and spiritual psychotherapy, she brings a unique perspective to her work. Jelena comes from a family of artists, curators, and art historians. She studied art and music in Belgrade and Toronto, holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and a diploma in Spiritual Psychotherapy.
Inspired by her diverse experiences, metaphysical philosophy, and minimalism, her paintings explore the connection between dreams, memory, the subconscious, and the natural world.
In Jelena’s artistic practice, her analytical skills influence her creative process, allowing her to merge logic with intuition. She experiments with different mediums and materials, including clay, fabric, and ropes, as well as painting in acrylic and oil.
Jelena has exhibited her work in Canada, Portugal, Spain, Serbia, and the United States, with her paintings featured in private collections and galleries across North America and Europe. Desert Frequencies marks her second solo exhibition at Propeller Art Gallery in Toronto.
