home
|
about
|
news
|
contents
|
gossip
|
photographs
|
venues
|
brighton
|
dublin
|
edinburgh
|
film
|
features
|
interviews
|
awards
|
fashion
|
recipes
|
no more drinks
|
newsletter
|
links
|
contact
Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
The Savage and Beautiful Country
Verdict: Journey out of life
Photographic Exhibition - Sukey Parnell
London - Truman Gallery - June 05
Truman Gallery, 95A Brick Lane, Fri-Mon 24-27 June 05, 10:00-19:00, Free
Sukey Parnell won the Focal Press June 05 Keeping It Unreal competition for her image Holding Patterns. It shows her daughter with a doll bearing the face of her elderly mother Sheila Sweet (14 Dec 1928 - 17 Nov 2003), and is used as the flier for this exhibition. The exhibition, in the form of a book, has 12 photographs recording the final stage of her mother's life.
The photographs are variously in black and white (B+W), colour, landscape (L) and portrait (P) formats, most images approximately 3"x5", bound in a book a little less than A3, landscape format. There is only one book, so viewing the exhibition is an intimate experience, which the artist states as her intention; and with the sequence of viewing determined.
They works are numbered in sequence below followed by comment. Sheila Sweet is referred to as 'mother', Sukey Parnell as 'artist', and the Sukey Parnells's daughter (and Sheila Sweet's granddaughter) Lola, as Lola:
1 (B+W, P) - The artist's mother, Sheila Sweet; a portrait of her face in 3/4 profile, her eyes closed as if in contemplation, she's sitting up wearing large black-rimmed glasses. 2 (B+W, P) - A similar view, a portrait of mother's face, her hands joined with fingers interlocking. 3 (Colour, P) - Bare feet together, perhaps mother's and the artist's, rest against a brightly colour-striped blanket. 4 (Colour, L) - Close shot of mother's hands, one finger resting on the other hand. 5 (B+W, L) - Family photos rest on a shelf, lit by a burning-wax night-light, as if in vigil. 6 (Colour, approx 5"x5") - Stunning big square picture, with colour washed out a little towards sepia: mother lies on her bed with eyes open as if in thought; in the mirror are Lola, and the artist - 3 generations; the artist states it is from life, without montage.
7 (Colour, L) - Mother's face, eyes open in thought, lying in bed; a coloured blanket; the colours match and contrast. 8 (Colour, L) - Similar, but longer shot, and from above. 9 (B+W, L) - Similar, but in close on mother's face, from her side. 10 (B+W, L) - Wide shot of mother's face, and clasped hands, a medical machine is adjacent, as if connected to mother. 11 (B+W, L) - Two hands clasp, perhaps mother's and artist's, against a brightly-striped blanket. 12 (Colour, L) - A masterpiece conclusion - Mother (the artist states 2 hours before her death) lies dying on her bed, eyes closed, mouth open; the artist sits on her bed facing out of frame, her face distraught; the artist wears a red jumper, silver medallion, hands clasped, long dark hair full of vitality.
The subject of the exhibition is the dying of an old woman recorded by her daughter. The photographs show far more than this. The first obvious quality is that of love, which brims from each image in a profoundly affecting way; as if bleeding from the page - but by artistic precision rather than sentimentality. The choice of view, the cropping, choice of colour-contrasts, format and black-and-white or colour are clearly carefully chosen to make a specific statement from each photograph.
The choice of views is intriguing; the artist states the 12 shown here are selected from many taken over her mother's final months. Skin textures contrast old age and younger adulthood; textures are themselves set off against their surroundings - skin and blankets. Composition, for example in the mirror shot (6), is exact.
There is an overall feeling of the ebbing of life. Each of the 3 women has strong facial similarities, so it is as if there is a braid connecting their ages of 6, 30s, and 75. The child's face is contemplative and adventurous, full of the future; the artist's bears the distress of pain seen from a life at the point of its first third; the older woman's contains unknowable thoughts, but they appear sad ones - of regret, despair, fear, perhaps, or maybe the external mask of the face conceals an inward joy. The exhibition catches the different states of energy in childhood, adulthood and old age, and the variable presence of the life-force.
Credits: Photographer - Sukey Parnell. Website - http://www.rumex.org.uk.
END
John Park
reviewed Thursday 23 June 05 / Truman Gallery
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
