Han Nguyen ‘Tracing
Shadows’
January 11 – March 1, 2014
Jospeh Bellows Gallery, La Jolla CA
Review by Cathy Breslaw
The works by Han Nguyen are a
delicate, sensitive, and quietly moving portrayal of organic and natural forms
expressed through the use of unique photograms. Simple compositions achieved by
exposing arranged natural objects to light leave their marks on photosensitive
lightly toned papers. Through the use of plant and rock forms, Nguyen uses
light to help us absorb and take notice of the beauty that surrounds us in the
natural world. His works refer back to
the early calotypes of Fox Talbot and the plant forms recorded by Blossfeldt. Photograms, often called ‘camera-less
photography’, a process that lies somewhere between photography and
printmaking, is a unique way of documenting natural objects.
Leaving only the ‘shadows’ of
an object, Nguyen takes us on his journey to recognize his reverence for
nature and the forms they
create. His works, displayed in groupings and grids as well as large-scale
prints, transcend their object-hood, revealing a meditative and ephemeral quality to the images.
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| Tracing Shadows #130 unique photogram on gelatin silver paper 2013 |
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| Tracing Shadows #44 unique photogram on gelatin silver paper 2011 |
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