Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-09-13)

82 7 September 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Final Analysis

PeterDenchis a photographer,writer,curatorandpresenterbasedin London.Heis oneof theco-curatorsof PhotoNorthin Harrogateandhasbeenexhibiteddozensof times.Hehaspublisheda number
of books includingThe Dench Dozen: Great Britons of Photography Vol 1; Dench Does Dallas; The British Abroad; A&E: Alcohol & England and England Uncensored. Visitpeterdench.com

PeterDenchconsiders...

‘Randy Christian’, 2015-2018, by Rhiannon Adam

Photo Critique

© RHIANNON ADAM

M

yuniversity
dissertation
onDrHugh
WelchDiamond
andhisuseofblack&white
photographyinthetreatment
of19th-centuryfemale
lunaticshasnotproved
usefulinthedevelopment
ofmyphotographiccareer.
RarelyhaveI drawnonit for
inspirationorthoughtabout
it inthe 24 yearssinceit was
written.ThenI witnessedthe
imageofRandyChristian
fromtheseries:BigFence/
PitcairnIsland,2015-2018
byRhiannonAdam.
I bumpedintoRhiannon
shortlybeforesheleftfor
PitcairnIsland.Howlovely,
I thought.‘Havea wonderful
timeinparadise,’I said,and
leftwitha headreelingwith
imagesofdashingHollywood
starsClarkGable,Marlon
BrandoandMelGibsoninthe
roleofFletcherChristian,the
mutinousMaster’sMateinthe
MutinyontheBountyfranchise.
I gavea playfulswordthrust
inRhiannon’sdirectionand
grinnedasI recalledthestory
ofFletcherandhisfellow
mutineersandtheirsubsequent
settlementonPitcairnwith
a groupTahitiancaptives.
Rhiannondidn’tfindPitcairn
paradise.Althoughtheremay
bea waftofRobertDowneyJr
resemblanceinRandy,this
is farfroma Hollywoodhead
shotofanidol.In2004,Pitcairn
Islandbecameembroiledin
a sexualabusescandalfrom
whichit hasneverrecovered.
Eightmenwereconvictedof
sexualcrimes,manyagainst
younggirls.Oneofthemwas
Randy.A directdescendent
ofFletcher,hewasconvicted
offiverapesandfourindecent
assaults,includinggangrape
withhisbrotherShawn.
Prison sentences were lenient

‘It’sanutterly

compellingproject

thatleftRhiannon

emotionally

destroyed’

andastonishingly,duetoa

legalloophole,Shawn is now

MayorofPitcairn.

Directconfrontation

DrDiamondworkedinthe

beliefthatmentalstatesare

manifestedinphysiognomy

andthatphotographsare

objectiverepresentationsof

reality,describinghimselfas

a photographerwho‘catches

ina momentthepermanent

cloud,orthepassingstormor

sunshineofthesoul,andthus

enablesthemetaphysicianto

witnessandtraceoutthe

connexionbetweenthevisible

andtheinvisible.’

TheimageofRandyis a

tempest of the soul, shot on

expiredPolaroidType 55 film,

a black&whitepeel-apart

Polaroidfilmthatyieldsboth

a positiveprintanda negative

imagethatcanbeusedto

createenlargements.Rhiannon

spenttwohoursphotographing

Randyinhisgaragehighupon

Pitcairn.Themanthatcooked

hera roastchicken,oftenjovial

andwitha penchantforthe

musicofCher,gazesacrossa

viewofseaandships,hiseyes

turnedawayfromthepast.

‘Pitcairnersdon’treallylike

lookingyouintheeye,’says

Rhiannon.Directtocamera

wouldbemoreconfrontational

andbylookingaway,it’sthe

viewerwhohasthepower;they

are the one doing the looking.

Islandtakeover

IttookRhiannonthreeflights,

a watertaxi,anda 38-hour

journeybyboattoreachthe

remoteislandforherthree-

monthstay.It’sa complicated,

committed,andutterly

compellingprojectthatleft

Rhiannonemotionally

destroyedwhenit wasover.

ThisimageofRandydelivers

a representationofa closedand

claustrophobiccommunity,in

whichtheinmateshavetaken

overtheisland.

Theimageis fromtheTPG

NewTalentshow,onnowatThe

Photographer’sGallery,London

until6 October2019.See

thephotographersgallery.

org.uk for more details.