Seduced by Art

Today I went to the National Gallery here in London to see their first major photography exhibition: Seduced by Art.

‘The exhibition explores early photography from the mid-19th century and the most exciting contemporary photographs, alongside historical painting. It takes a provocative look at how photographers use fine art traditions, including Old Master painting, to explore and justify the possibilities of their art.’ – National Gallery Website.

More of a fan of contemporary photography than of mid-19^th century art, I was primarily looking forward to seeing great photography work. But I really enjoyed the angle of this exhibition and how it showed the influences of the 19^th century paintings on the photographs. I would really recommend you to go see the exhibition if you are in London!

Man looking right into my lens at the Seduced by Art Exhibition

My favourite piece of the exhibition was a photograph made by Ori Gersht in 2007 and titled ‘Blow-up Untitled 5’.

Ori Gersht 'Blow-up Untitled 5', 2007
from the collection of Robin and Peter Arkus, USA
Image from Mummery + Schnelle London



Henri Fantin-Latour 'The Rosy Wealth of June', 1886

The photograph was inspired by a painting of Henri Fantin-Latour completed in 1886 and named ‘The Rosy Wealth of June’. 
Like the bouquet in the painting, Gersht modelled his bouquet to contain only the colours of the French flag – red, white and blue.
Unlike in Henri Fantin-Latour’s painting where the bouquet looks peaceful – yet containing with what Gherst describes as a looming undercurrent – Gherst’s ‘re-make’ bouquet is shattered to pieces brining that looming undercurring alive.
It is beauty in destruction.

It is thanks to technology that he is able to capture the moment of shattering. Techology makes it ailable on image. Gersht first covered the flowers with liquid nitrogen to freeze them and then embedded the bouquet with explosives. 10 high-speed cameras were then set up to capture the moment of explosion.

 

When you look at the making of video (more a series of photographs), you will see the highly technological process of making the photograph and the precision with which it needed to be carried out.

I find the process very remarkable and I love the result: the force yet stillness that is reflected in the photograph!