Desert Flower
Nguyen Hoang Bao Ngoc
Mark Jones, Desert flowers, Egypt
Mark Jones is a frequent visitor to Vietnam. His pinhole camera is a constant companion whenever he travels. Very long exposure times are essential to produce an image on the film and therein lay the secret of his technique. Traditional lens-based photography is usually accomplished in fractions of a second, whereas pinhole photography often takes many minutes. The quality of light in these photos is a result of this longer time frame. In his most successful images, the light seems not merely reflected off of the subject; rather it seems to emanate from it. This effect gives Jones’ art a hyper three-dimensional look – much like the way one sees in a dream. Add the curved horizon line, and a bit of incidental, somewhat out of place shadows and unexpected movements and you get more than a few memorable images.
For his debut exhibition in Vietnam, he is showing 13 photographs such as the hauntingly beautiful Homage to Compton, which was taken in the Eureka Valley, California. In this image, the sand dunes are both waves and particles at the same time, and the white light of the sunrise breaks up into its many component colors. It is as if the earth is coming alive right before our eyes.
Jones’ art also looks at the state of the global environment. In a conversation the artist described how he made Desert flowers – Egypt. "This photograph was taken in upper Egypt near the border with Sudan. There I came upon a chemical factory, and the pollution from it had turned the surrounding countryside bright red. A small house across the road had several Hibiscus plants on the front wall. I set up my camera and began taking photos. Unsatisfied with the results I returned to my hotel, but during my sleep that night a strong wind blew up and scattered some of those flowers across the road. When I returned at sunrise the next morning the scene was perfect and I took my shot". This photograph makes a poignant comment on pollution, often more so in developing countries where cutting corners to save some money is considered necessary, at the expense of the environment. I would be interested to see this photograph alongside others that he might have taken in the US, which show the abuses in a nation that could easily afford to do better.
This exhibition is unusual in Vietnam were established galleries mainly exhibit paintings by Vietnamese Masters, both young and old. More experimental spaces often concentrate on performance and installation, which is the current trend for the young avant-garde artist in Vietnam. With the selection, Mai’s Gallery makes an impressive choice towards art which stands for more than mere fashion.
Mark Jones
Special Light February 19 – March 10, 2005
Mai’s Gallery, 16 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
