Cardiff Review- Gareth Philips

The New Land 

by Gareth Philips 

All photographs belong to Gareth Philip, taken from

 http://garethphillipsphotography.com/category/y-tir-newydd-the-new-land/

"The New Land is an artistic translation of the furthest points of the Welsh Landscape-north,south,east,west,high and low. An imagined world collides with abstract reality summoning the demons, perils, beauty and mystery that many only experience when voyaging far past the comfortable confines of an urban world. The New Land is a personal voyage inspired by a departure from these comforts, aiming to connect and touch the soul of an indigenous landscape left untouched, even forgotten, in the wake of shift away from the land for the modern world."  

When I first entered the gallery I saw huge black and white photos taking over the walls in a black room. I was instantly drawn to them because the white sections of the photos were so bold and eye-catching. I spent quite a while staring and examining the photos trying to work out what exactly had been photographed, I then realised they were the patterns within stone and trees. I found it difficult to see what they were at first because the photo had been reflected on itself. The photo below is reflected from a line going the middle I really like this, its very interesting and unusual and makes the photos much more captivating because you spend so long trying to work out what is going on.

I can see a mask with large eyes.

The longer that I spent looking at the photos the more shapes and images I began to see within the reflected pattern.

 I can see the body of  bat with the head tilted upwards.

I think that the photos have been taken (or edited) to black and white to make the photo have less depth, so rather than trying to see what is going on in the photo and trying to see a scene you look at the lines of rock and tress more and that is when you end up seeing different images made up of the lines. I think that if the photo had been in colour it would not of worked so well because the lines would not be as bold and the colours would of distracted from the patterns. I also think that the contrast may have been increased to make the definition between black and white much stronger.

I can see a mask in the centre,  like a old tiki style mask.

Something that I found really interesting is that when I said to someone at the gallery what I saw in the image, they didn't see it until I pointed it out, but then they saw something that was completely different that I hadn't seen. Also the longer I looked the more that I saw. These photos kind of take on the property of being an optical illusion, they are photographs of something but different people see different things in them, I think this is a brilliant different way to photograph. These aren't just photos of something they have been changed into something more deep and interesting. Maybe what you see in the photo tells you something about yourself like an inkblot test?

Like in one of the other photos I can see a bat again, but this time with its wings spread. but separate form that I can also see a lambs skull in the centre.

I loved the gallery, I have fallen in love with the photographs and I loved the feel of the room being purely in black and white with such large photos taking over the walls and filling the space really well. From actually going to the gallery in person rather than seeing the photographs on-line it has given me a good idea of the effect and impact the location and actual room that you choose to display your work has on the viewing.