Spetses the jeweller
At Spetses, photography is jewellery. From finding a precious object to cutting and polishing it, the eye is the chief tool of trade. The resulting piece enjoys a play of light, while condensing an expanse of time into a single moment. Each image is not a mere expression of form and colour, but a fountain of poetry and inspiration – gently leading the curious viewer away from the passage of time.
Here, a rich blend of the finest pieces is presented. To mention a few from the Collection: Ulysees, a mysterious marvel that deftly conceals its true identity; Meir, an unusual picture whose subject is at once nothing and everything. These sensuous pieces noiselessly sculpt the surrounding air, serving as both enchantment and nectar for the refined.
Ulysees (left)
This curious and enigmatic vision proudly boasts its capturer’s considered perspective. Gleaming with hard edges and smooth lines, it presents itself as if a living organism. But what is this – the iris of an eye, or mountains, perhaps? To such a question, it replies ‘is not the very not knowing the essence of beauty?’ All the same, this nightly gem, scrupulous in its composition, never ceases to fascinate.
Aplin
Like velvet curtains, this piece caresses the viewer with the gentlest touch – all irrelevances quietly melt away. A picture need not speak loudly; at times, a light whisper may suffice. As with the finest pianist, the photographer must understand the gradations of softness within the softest touch. It is, in truth, a mark of high regard and trust – in the viewer’s sensitivity to perceive the subtlest nuances.
Meir
Brilliant yellow and amber, interwoven with other amiable colours, form a cheerful mosaic. The whole image serves as an indivisible subject, meant to be viewed in its entirety. As the Dutch painter Rembrandt once advised his patron Constantijn Huygens in reference to The Blinding of Samson, such a work ‘sparkles well if placed in a strong light, and in such a way that one can stand far back from it’ – a consideration which applies equally here.
Sofia
Delicate lines of shadow, shaped by tender light from above and scattered trees, compose an air of quiet rest. The picture recalls the Japanese painter Hasegawa Tohaku’s masterwork Pine Trees. In each, it is as if silence itself can be heard; the atmosphere evokes a sense of rejuvenation. Both pieces eternalise a beautiful morning.
Spetses
Light gently filters through the stained glass windows, above which stand the personifications of Divinity, Law, Physic (medicine), and Mathematics, each with an air of splendour. This piece captures one of the finest moments of the year. It now permanently resides at Trinity College, Cambridge, where the image was taken.