The Code - limited edition underwater fine-art photograph by Alexej Sachov — “The Code” (2022) - underwater photograph by Alexej Sachov.

Project idea and Meaning of the artwork title

Often, life is a survival dance. This dance, captured by a camera, mirrors into abstract patterns - shapes that resemble mysterious symbols. Alexej calls this “the secret code of nature”: a code of life and survival written in motion. It’s reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s paintings, but here nature paints with movement, capturing the final, victorious moments of living organisms.

Artist’s technique

What you see is the movement of small fish hunting even smaller fish and plankton. Alexej captured photographs for this project during night dives in Egypt, the Maldives, and the Philippines, at a depth of approximately 15 meters. Fish and plankton were drawn to the light of his underwater lamp. Using a long exposure in macro mode, he photographed their movements, transforming their motion into intricate, abstract patterns. The actual area shown in the image is just six centimeters wide - a microscopic world magnified through time and light.

The story behind

Our world can feel infinite, whether we look outward into space or inward into the microscopic. By photographing tiny underwater plankton, Alexej explored this hidden micro-world and captured motion effects that reminded him of his background in rocket engineering. The swirling dynamics also evoked scenes from science fiction films filled with battles in open space. Later, his personal experience living in Kyiv under Russian air strikes added a deeper layer of meaning, touching on fragility, survival, and the essence of life.

Artist’s quote

Alexej creates his artworks in the weightlessness of the underwater world. He explains: “In open space, it’s not clear where is up and where is down. It’s the same in this series, and I always discover something new in these artworks.”

Learn more about Alexej Sachov, see recent awards and fairs & exhibitions, or explore more abstract artworks.

Available sizes

40 x 30 cm, Edition of 12 plus 2 artist's proofs
80 x 60 cm, Edition of 7 plus 2 artist's proofs
120 x 90 cm, Edition of 3 plus 2 artist's proofs
149 x 112 cm, Edition of 1

Framing

The artwork is printed on premium Hahnemühle FineArt paper, renowned for its exceptional quality and archival standards. The artwork in size 80x60 are framed in Halbe frames, protected by museum-grade glass to ensure long-lasting brilliance and clarity. Framing for bigger artworks will be discussed upon request.

Each artwork is delivered with two certificates of authenticity. One certificate is affixed to the artwork, while the second, an official Hahnemühle certificate, should be stored separately. Both certificates include matching, numbered holographic stickers.

See framing & certificate details on Instagram.