- Venue
- Penzance Art Gallery
- Location
Alison Blaney's large photographs are intriguing and haunting. She explains that she has always been captivated by the wild, the free and beautiful, indeed the adored, Rebecca depicted in this case by the enigmatic looks of Hannah Turk-Richards. In the work there is a fascination for this other woman and at times, Maxim seems a mere intermediary. Du Maurier riddles persist here and inspire this watching from a certain distance. This is emphasised by the tracery of stockingnette dresses and veils. The fashion together with large white flowers recreates the rich and at times gothic atmosphere as in the novel.
There are only twelve pictures but their impact is increased by the alternation of black and white photographs with those in voluptuous colour. In one picture Hannah appears almost deathly pale, somewhat reminiscent of Joan Crawford. Du Maurier was fascinated by houses (Manderley was to provide the funds for Menabilly) and associated vegetation. Here the architecture of grand houses, including the gates of Trerife and the boathouse at Trevarno act as back drop in these portraits. The expressions vary; contemplative, reserved and at times, superior and mannered. Among these photographs there are some with compelling compositions that provoke memories and suppressed emotions. However, there are dangers with becoming too fascinated with illusions. This is a difficult milieu in which to innovate, as we have become used to nostalgic imagery from Kate Bush and Enya CD covers to the films of Ken Russell. What was the imagery of Keats; –
And now the sharp keel of his little boat
Comes up with ripple, and with easy float,
And glides into a bed of water lilies:
Broad leav'd are they and their white canopies
Are upward turn'd to catch the heavens' dew.
is now being used to promote the sale of household goods. Nonetheless, here are some haunting photographs, searching for an ethereal femininity, worth seeing over and again and discussing with friends; du Maurier fans or not. The print quality is good and reminds us, that film photography-, as with the recent Nik Strangelove exhibition at the Vitreous Gallery in Truro- remains attractive and pleasing to the eye.
With Ben Gunn's work, in the next room the atmosphere seems to lighten as the Sun bleached driftwood distributed beneath these large canvases with pale viridian as the dominant shade. Ben was a seaman who sailed out of Wick and Lowestoft, Aberdeen and Grimsby from the 1960s and had to negotiate the Cod War off the freezing waters of Iceland. He spent 14 years inside the Artic Circle. Ben, who often served as a bos'n under the Northern Lights as well as in British Steel, loves to paint to music, especially Buddy Holly. In this literary context his presence reminds one a little of his fellow countryman W.S.Graham, the poet that wrote the esteemed "Nightfishing". His painting has been fostered by the Guild of Newlyn Fishermen and fostered by the encouragement of that jovial gentleman, Jeremy Le Grice. An exhibition worth seeing!
Freelance WriterEducationalist
