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Peter Marr's Picks of the Show

Size Matters
by David Bleich

  Peter Marr has chosen his "Picks of the Show"
and presents a commentary on their choices.

click here to return to the details of the exhibit

                                                                                                                                                                             

All images copyright by the individual photographers


Peter's Picks
London Eye by David Bleich

 

London Eye
by David Bleich

It is a great tribute to David’s artistic and visionary skills that he chose to photograph a segment of the London Eye, using an imaginative viewpoint, that results in a memorable and impressive image. This spectacular engineering construction, reminiscent of a Ferris wheel, has offered visitors over 15 years of eye-catching, 360 degree views of the London metropolis. Here is a work of art that the photographer has frozen in time, and observers are left to explore it internally in their own time. One should caution that as memory is an important part of vision, there can be no objective vision, because each of us has a different memory. What one sees is a magical curved sweep of a sector of the London Eye that beautifully highlights the glass capsules mounted outside the rim, giving passengers an unobstructed view, and  an exhilarating ride in space up to a height of over 450 feet above the ground. The decision making parts the brain have an instinct to find and accept symmetrical geometric forms and patterns, so the display of curved lines will offer rewards and feelings of relaxation. These feelings would become more tense when dealing with the distinctive lines of the cable spokes, which ironically, are positioned to hold the structure in tension. What separates this image from the thousands of other photographs of the London Eye, is that David has used a “High Key” effect, eliminating the sky and any other extraneous detail, to highlight just the curved segment against a white background. Not only does this allow the observer to take in the majesty of every detail of this engineering marvel, most importantly, from the photographer’s viewpoint, the total emphasis is what one sees, and not what the passengers are viewing from each of the capsules. In conclusion, one observation that could be distracting for some people, is that one of the glass capsules has been painted underneath a blood-orange color. For many people, this bright color immediately draws the eye away from the silvery-gray pods which are its neighbors, resulting in a disruption to the symmetry of this circular structure. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding image, masterfully printed and displayed in a vertical format that takes one to the top and beyond the London Eye itself.

 

 


Viking Huts by David Bleich

Viking Huts
by David Bleich

This is one of the most sublime and meaningful landscapes that I have ever seen, made all the more spectacular and evocative, by the fact that the large panoramic display is mounted on an acrylic substrate, which adds a resplendent brilliance and clarity to the print. The verdant and lush green grasses continue their inspiring presence all the way up the steep hillside, through the stands of conifer trees, before merging with the almost barren hillsides of volcanic peaks which are enshrouded in mist. In the foreground, imposingly set against this impressive landscape, are a row of Viking turf houses, so named, because each roof is covered with multiple layers of living grass sod. Remarkably, the roof lines of the houses flow in an undulating pattern that mirrors closely the background setting The massive stone walls help support and insulate these houses, and in front is a stone and gravel pathway which connects all of these dwellings. The Icelandic turf house is an exceptional example of Vernacular architectural tradition, which was brought to the country by Nordic settlers dating back to the 9th century. They are predominantly of timber and stone construction, around and over which, thick layers of turf form an insulating cover. It is remarkable that in one of the world’s most inhospitable lands of volcanoes, earthquakes, and glaciers, the Icelanders have learned to survive at the edge of the Arctic, living in turf house communities until the early 1900’s. Many of these structures are in the National Museum’s Historic collection, and many have been remodeled and reconstructed for rental and hostel use for tourists. I have given some of this background data in order that viewers of this exceptional landscape be more aware of a sense of presence, and to imagine that they have the freedom to stop and enter any one of the dwellings. There, in a visionary way, the observer can conjecture and think about the people, their way of life, their hardships, etc, so that this historic and august print means even more to them.

 


Peter Marr

 

We are very grateful to Peter for his thorough review and selection for Peter's Picks. Peter was born in England in 1935 and came to live in the United States in 1968. He worked for the Eastman Kodak Company for 34 years, retiring in 1998. During his employment and continuing into retirement, he has been an enthusiastic photographer. His photography has won him numerous awards throughout Kodak and in International Salons, including 5 George Eastman Medals, which is the top honor awarded to the most outstanding picture in the Annual Kodak International Salon. He has served as a judge in both local and international photographic competitions for the past 20 years, and is a Past president of the Kodak Camera Club and past chairman of many of the Kodak Camera Club organizations. In the past five years or so, he has devoted his photographic skills and interest into nature photography, notably bird photography. His bird photography has been the subject of several one-person exhibits, the most recent being at Ding Darling NWR, in Sanibel, Florida, The Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York, and at the Webster Public Library in Webster, NY.

  
 
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