MARKINGS (Sacred Landscapes)
Throckmorton Fine Art is pleased to announce our fall exhibition, MARKINGS (Sacred Landscapes), Photographs by Marilyn Bridges. For the past decade, Bridges has combined photography with her passion for flying in order to preserve what she refers to as the "message of humankind". Written on the earth and covering the reach of time from prehistoric to the present day, these markings and monuments form a complex tapestry of human culture, recording both our sacred and secular lives. Her photographs function as both art and information, personal expression and documentation.
It was for the Gods that these earthworks were made and she photographs them as they were meant to be seen, from the heavens. MARKINGS is Bridges' elegant record of the signs of ancient culture on the earth's surface. Her photographic quest began with a flight over the plains of Peru. From a small aircraft she witnessed the extensive spirals, "runways", and animal figures carved into the earth by the Nazca Indians. Flying low over the vast jungle of the Yucatán, Marilyn's photographs of the mayan temples capture the scale of the mayan endeavors. Her perspective on these sacred historical sites poses profound questions about the relationship between human culture and the natural world. Her North American aerial landscapes evoke diversity of forms and ideas and a natural understanding of rhythm and form.
Bridges' work has scientific value, but it is also driven by her personal vision and the exhilaration of flight. As the plane banks, she controls the angle of her approach to retain details while revealing the larger complexity of the landscape. Bridges prefers the light of early morning or late afternoon when the sun creates long and distinctive shadows. These shadows enhance the three dimensional quality of what lies below and their patterns are integrated as defining elements in the photographs. Ms. Bridges is the author of seven books and has received numerous awards including: Guggenheim Fellowship 1982, Fulbright Grant 1988, elected fellow of The Explorers Club 1988, 1991 Medal of Arles.
|
