British contemporary photographer Polly Penrose presents her new series of self portraits at a short exhibition 10 Seconds pops up at Hoxton Gallery, in East London, from 6th until 8th May.
For her second exhibition, at Hoxton Gallery, she showcases four new series all taken on a 10 second self timer and shot between 2014 and 2016: Pool Party, shot in Ibiza; I was Never Good at Yoga, shot using meditation and yoga equipment as prosthetic extensions of the artist’s body and Paperwork, where Penrose’s body takes on the challenge of using colourama paper to become ‘something else’. These series are accompanied by the ongoing project A Body of Work 2014-16, shown in the second room.
Penrose began taking photographs when she was a teen. She would aim the camera towards herself investigating her emotions, body and identity. Her first self portrait was taken on a day she was upset with her father. She wrapped a rope around her body, shot a photo and sent it to him to communicate her feelings.
The exhibition showcases an ongoing dialogue developed over the course of the years, from the artist “hammering her body into the landscape one picture at a time”, as she says, to getting centre stage, moulding herself into her own muse – a transition from a more intense, passionate attempt to a lighter, more meditative and ironic viewpoint. All framed by the passage of time and changing scenarios.
Polly’s head is always removed from the photographs. Her identity changes, in every picture she becomes an integral part of the landscape or an object.
EXHIBITION
10 Seconds
Self Portraits by Polly Penrose
6 – 8 May 2016
Hoxton Gallery
59 Old St,
London EC1V 9HX
United Kingdom
http://www.hoxtongallery.com
http://pollypenrose.com
