Jem Southam's Upton Pyne

I had a chance to see Jem Southam's Upton Pyne exhibition at Wellesley College's Davis Museum and Cultural Center yesterday. I had previously only seen Southam's work online and in book form, both of which don't remotely do justice to his images. Seeing his prints hanging on the wall reinforced just how truly beautiful an object a photograph can be.

The Upton Pyne series chronicles the evolution and transformation of a small pond near Southam's home in Cornwall, England. Photographed over a 7 year period, the images track a specific passage of time while also addressing the contentious relationship between humans and nature. Structured into three sections, the series takes on narrative qualities through the repetition of objects and places that continuously reemerge to inform previous works.

Anyone in the greater Boston area should make the trek out to Wellesley to see the show. If nothing else, after seeing the Upton Pyne exhibition you'll be hard-pressed to find more beautifully rendered prints. The show will be up until June 8th.

In closing, you can find a terrific interview with Jem Southam here.









All photographs from the series Upton Pyne.

All images © Jem Southam