Magnum Exhibition: ‘Political Landscapes’
Date: 2 December 2009 - 5 February 2010.
Magnum print room London, Gee Street.
Its not widely known that the notorious Magnum group have a gallery tucked away in east London, but they most certainly do and have been using this both as an archival room and a place to show the brilliance of their prolific photographers. Every so often I’m guessing they have the odd print or two lying around and when they decide their stock room is getting a tad full they chuck them on the walls for the rest of us to marvel!
This time, oddly, were talking about 15 - 20 Images that contribute to the genre of Landscape photography. We are often presented with a façade of magnum photographers that they are mainly overtly documentary, up close and personal imagery however through establishment of narrative and place we often see an engagement with their immediate environment or ‘landscape’. By the nature of Magnums foundation, these images are not just the odd landscape here and there but a portrayal of the ghosts that one occupied the landscape, the recording of conflict, controversy and the political aftermath.
The show is dominated by some refreshingly stunning work by Carl De Keyzer’s series Moments Before the Flood. Shot on large format the expanse of the imagery shows us the detail's that the eye so often overlooks, we are presented with the strength of natures abilities and Keyzer makes us see this starkly and honestly. The ever increasing awareness of global environmental change puts these images directly in the realm of political comment which is overtly the nature of the show.
Magnum themselves have recognised the extreme shifts that photography has entered over the past decade. The device itself lending the ability to record and move with our times goes some way to explain the nature of this show. Magnum curator says:
“The lines between art and documentary practice both within and outside the agency are becoming increasingly blurred and landscape photography is a genre at the forefront of these changes”
I found a gentle print amongst these oversized wonders that moved me more profoundly than the bowl over scale of the others. An image by Alex Majoli titled Meeting Point Karaleti, Georgia 2009. I can’t find this image anywhere to show you so you’ll have to go see it! Here’s a short clip by the photographer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbu6q1CevCE
The wonders and brilliance of these Magnum shows is in the variation it offers. Getting the chance to see over 10 photographers in one room is a rare treat. We haven’t missed one!!! It’s reassuring and a bit of an adventure if you’ve had a dull week.
We like. We like, We like!
Photography & Mash.