Teal: Intimate And Immersive Photographs Of Water

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 124 months ago
Teal: Intimate And Immersive Photographs Of Water
I like it here. Image courtesy of the artist
I like it here. Image courtesy of the artist
Boys will be boys I. Image courtesy of the artist
Boys will be boys I. Image courtesy of the artist
Cogs I. Image courtesy of the artist
Cogs I. Image courtesy of the artist
Diver. Image courtesy of the artist
Diver. Image courtesy of the artist
Swimming Pool. Image courtesy of the artist
Swimming Pool. Image courtesy of the artist
Cogs II. Image courtesy of the artist
Cogs II. Image courtesy of the artist

Hania Farrell is a Lebanese artist who seeks to bring together her country's lengthy coastline and its history of conflict, by creating a set of photographs that show how Lebanese people view the water as a welcoming escape from daily life.

The opening image sets up the exhibition perfectly as a man dives off a rock into the sea in a moment of pure escapism, yet the photograph has been taken over the top of a barbed wire fence. There are further images of boys and young men enjoying life frolicking in streams and near waterfalls that cement how favoured a pastime it is.

Where this show excels is in the contrasting images, such as a rusting oil tanker off the coast. It has been battered and half destroyed by the sea water yet remains standing and seems to refute the inevitability of its destruction. Upstairs there are photographs of sluice gates designed to control the flow of a waterfall but they appear rusted and barely functional, once again showing that the force of water far exceeds anything man made.

There are some innovative presentation techniques in a waterfall that can only be seen through a peephole and a projector over a filled bathtub - as the divers tumble down the screen their reflection makes them appear to continue their descent under the water's surface.

One room is dedicated to surrounding visitors with the sights and sounds of crashing waves on the shore while an overhead shot of  a swimming pool is on the floor, inviting people to stand on a diving board as if ready to leap in.

This three floor exhibition is exciting, diverse and inventive, with the contrasting images and interactive pieces standing out as our highlights.

Teal by Hania Farrell is on 21-22 Cheyne Place, SW3 until 30 January 2014 (closed 23 Dec-2 Jan). Entrance is free.

Last Updated 22 November 2013