Fragments, Monoliths, Portals (2015)
Fragments, Monoliths, Portals (2015)
“David Penny’s photographs reveal a close, intense scrutiny of solitary forms. These are cast into being through soft light and a rich tonal scale. The life of the studio and its props is made evident. Creased sheets, smooth backdrops, mirrors and lens tell of a working of light as if it were a language. Shadow is to speak of the limits of perception, luminance as the form of knowledge. The title of this work summons a tension at the heart of the project. Fragments posit an unseen image of the whole, the monolith stands assured and the portal promises a realm beyond. The still image is in perpetual suspense between these states. This is achieved in a number of ways. A thin stone slab, for instance, is rendered precious through the sheer clarity of a focused close-up. It attains a status akin to that of an object in a museum display case. However, it is devoid of context and is but a mute artefact. Just as it is silent, it is as equally insistent...”
Gavin Murphy for Source: Issue 77
“David Penny’s photographs reveal a close, intense scrutiny of solitary forms. These are cast into being through soft light and a rich tonal scale. The life of the studio and its props is made evident. Creased sheets, smooth backdrops, mirrors and lens tell of a working of light as if it were a language. Shadow is to speak of the limits of perception, luminance as the form of knowledge. The title of this work summons a tension at the heart of the project. Fragments posit an unseen image of the whole, the monolith stands assured and the portal promises a realm beyond. The still image is in perpetual suspense between these states. This is achieved in a number of ways. A thin stone slab, for instance, is rendered precious through the sheer clarity of a focused close-up. It attains a status akin to that of an object in a museum display case. However, it is devoid of context and is but a mute artefact. Just as it is silent, it is as equally insistent...”
Gavin Murphy for Source: Issue 77