"Photographing spontaneously, (Maxine Henryson) has an instinctive perception of the fleeting moment"
-Mario Kramer
Kramer, M. (2007) "The Visible Time"
Red Leaves and Golden Curtains, vi-vii.
This essay examines the qualities of Maxine Henryson's photographic body of work. The artist creates her colorful abstract images by setting her camera for a long exposure and adjusting the focus while the picture is being taken; the resulting images evoke distant recollections and sensations-strong impressions of past visitations and events. Composition is important to the artist despite the blurred product, and some of her locations are identifiable, but only just. Interiors and exteriors are obscurred with varying degrees of blur; leaving some photographs more discernible. Henryson is prone to travel in search of locations across the sea, shooting most often in Asia and Europe. The author notes that the sense of timelessness in her photographs is furthered by the absence of contemporary technology and advertising. Just like in a dream, it is difficult to place when events take place. Not every element in her images is blurred to the same amount; there are clearer areas in the picture, allowing the viewer's eye to wander about the scene, wondering the significance of the revealed portion, in comparison to the unfocused sections.
I am particularly interested in Henryson's practice of excluding modern cars and technology. It takes away from the effectiveness of a scene to recognize a cell phone or certain new car, and instantly dates the image. The pervasive feeling of obfuscation in these images is clear; you are near an object or in a location yet are not quite able to find all the details that you desire.
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