Picture of Oh, which opened on Thursday, July 27th, 2017 at a skyborne gallery space at Serena Imagine Art Centre, is a celebration of Bryn Oh and her art, as seen through the eyes of photographer aldiladeisogni. On display are nine very large format images featuring Bryn and / or elements of her installations.
Small in number, large in size, presented in an environment which somewhat echoes aspects of some of Bryn’s past installations, this is an exhibition that plays both easy on the eye and subtle on the mind. Those familiar with Bryn’s immersive installation will doubtless recognise from which pieces the images have been drawn – but seeing them remembered in this exhibition is only part of the experience.
Bryn herself is highly photogenic; there is a wonderful air of beauty and mystery about her. She is at once approachable in nature, yet her appearance sets her almost physically apart, making any approach in a first meeting a possibly unsettling experience: just how does one address so exotic a creation? This dichotomy – the apparent exotic aloofness mirrored by an open, approachable nature – is beautifully captured in the individual studies of Bryn presented herein.
Bryn’s exotic looks also make her an idea model to sit within the images of her installations, where she appears very much both the observer of the scenes and a part of them. Her presence doesn’t in any way detract from the stories involved in the pieces; rather, she adds a new layer of narrative to each the story; her character fits with the scenes so perfectly.
Of course, capturing this depth of individual takes skill from behind the lens of the snapshot floater, and in this aldiladeisogni demonstrates a mastery of composition that is to be greatly admired. Not only does he capture the essence of Bryn’s work and the mystique of her avatar – he also captures something of the personality and thoughts behind her.
In 00 bryn 02, for example, it is almost impossible to see Bryn crouched alongside her work without catching a hint of the thoughts that may have been running through her mind as she did so, her artist’s eye re-examining a piece committed to the world’s view. Compare this with its companion, 00 bryn 01, and what is striking is that whilst shot from the same angle using the same setting and pose, we are drawn into Bryn’s beauty, only to be caught once again by her eyes, and the sense of the mind behind them. And so it is with all the pieces on display: each is captivating, layered and almost tactile in composition and presentation.
All told, a beautiful, captivating exhibition focusing on a captivating and enchanting artist and her work, presented by a master of the photographic medium.
SLurl Details
- Picture of Oh (Serena Imagine)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 