The blurred image of a window, printed on an unbound canvas, is suspended against a wall and illuminated by two upward-pointing lights. The shadows crisscross over the photo and around the creaky, nineteenth-century room. This is the first installation of artist/photographer Holly Rowan Hesson’s latest exhibition at &Model Gallery this month. All the art Rowan Hesson presents here displays a remarkable ability to transcend its image and captivate the viewer. They don’t boast the same realism that has come to be associated with photography, instead they evoke a feeling similar to recalling a memory rather than merely looking at an image.

During her four week residency at the &Model Gallery, the artist has used the buildings rustic, stripped-back interior as an integral element of the new works she has produced. This means that the pieces seem like part of the walls they have been hung or projected on rather than being artificially imposed on top of them. The main theme throughout Rowan Hesson’s collection here is the dialogue between various materials and techniques, allowing her to explore the interaction between the space and architecture of the &Model building itself, which makes for a very engaging and thought-provoking exhibition. Spectators stand gazing at the dream-like images of the same rooms in which they are stood gazing at the dream-like images.

Holly Rowan Hesson offers an innovative, original approach to architectural photography in this latest project. Her exhibition is on display alongside the Seven Turns show, which occupies the downstairs of this quaint gallery, and will be open until 5th March. I highly recommend experiencing this exceptional artist’s collection before she move to her next residency in Manchester.

Cameron Tallant

Image courtesy of Tammi Nowell