Alan Marquardt Photography Exhibition

Just when exhibition space for visual arts in Hamilton, is threatened, it is gratifying to learn about a new, albeit small exhibition space in the atrium at Terceira Quarterly on the upper level of the Walker Arcade.

I visited there recently to see Alan Marquardt's photo exhibition entitled "Out Of The Blue." The room is one of the most handsome exhibition spaces anywhere in Bermuda and in this bright, clean, white environment, Mr. Marquardt's amazing underwater photographs sing.

Indeed, this space, while appearing utterly contemporary, is simultaneously reminiscent of an early Christian chapel.

The walls are high, running right up to the roof with exposed steel beams.

High, along the southern wall, a row of small, clerestory-like windows, bathes the room with brilliant light.

Marquardt's underwater photographs are often large, clear, bright, colourful and sharply focused. These are qualities not often associated with pictures from the deep.

Additionally, Mr. Marquardt has an eye for composition and textural contrast, both smooth and rough.

I understand that in order to achieve this high quality, the artist took numerous photographs and then selected those he considered his best.

That is the beauty of digital photography; the artist is at liberty to take chances and to click away without being concerned about how much film he's using.

Additionally, digital photography appears more sensitive in low light, hence the abundance of precise details.

There are twenty-one pictures in this show. Five are 48 x 36 inches on canvas. Fifteen are 24 x 16 inches on paper and framed, under glass.

There is also a triptych on canvas in black and white, of "The Wreck of the Ghiannis D".

There are two other black and white photographs in the show.

I often have a problem with photographs on canvas, since the photographer appears to imitate the tradition of painting on canvas. Also, the smoothness of typical photography often seems at odds with the texture of the canvas.

This is not the case with the Marquardt photographs, however.

What he achieves by placing his work on canvas, is the ability to enlarge to an impressive size and yet, give weightiness to the photograph.

The latter quality is attained by using heavy-duty canvas stretchers about an inch and a half thick.

This allows the artist to exhibit without frames. Indeed, a frame would seem restrictive.

These large canvases hang well within the TQ atrium.

While having a certain weightiness, they also appear to almost float off the walls.

This is a fascinating dichotomy. This atmosphere allows both gallery and pictures to work together in a seeming combination of harmonious elements.

The exhibition continues through February 19, 2008.