An exhibition of eroticism
PARKHURST - Photographer Ryan Hitchcock focused his lens on a solitary object, the rose, for his upcoming solo exhibition.
Titled What is a rose?, the body of work is a departure from his first exhibition of images of enigmatic scenery from the Johannesburg landscape.
“The group of 21 colour prints begs the viewer to ascribe meaning to their contorted forms and selectively lit shapes,” said Hitchcock.
“Upon entering the gallery, one is confronted by a splendid bloom that could easily conform to most people’s concept of what a rose should be.”
From there on, however, the olde worlde image of the rose will be shattered.
Hitchcock photographed most of the roses against a black backdrop, and opted for flowers that were wilted, dead, or decayed.
“This neutrality of context renders their contorted shapes into objects that far exceed their original purpose,” he said.
“One looks like a tomato, others invoke a ballerina, a spaceship, a peanut, or even a demonic bat floating down from a dark void. This is as much an exhibition of the imagination as it is of roses.”
Hitchcock explained that the exhibition was also a “show of the human condition”.
“We give roses as a token of our love. Men have endlessly compared the beauty of women to a rose, to the point where the flower has become a representative of the gender,” he said.
“If your imagination can spot a tomato in a rose, your sexuality will identify with the blatant display of human genitalia. This is as much an exhibition of eroticism as it is of roses.”
What is a rose? will be at The Art Room, 22 4th Avenue, Parkhurst, from 13 February until 31 March.
Details: www.artroomparkhurst.co.za
