August 15 – 26, 2012
PROPELLER CENTRE FOR THE VISUAL ARTS
984 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H1
T: 416-504-7142
E: gallery@propellerctr.com
Hours: Wed/Sat: 12-6 pm, Sun: 12-5 pm
Sculpture Comes to Life
Aphrodite: Photography Exhibit by Kendall Townen
Think 50 Shades of Grey only tasteful. Visiting this photography exhibit inspired by classic nude sculpture will spark feelings ranging from sensual to gruesome; but no matter what you feel, you will want to look longer.
Aphrodite, an exhibit presented by photographer Kendall Townend at the Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, is a black and white series that uses Hellenistic draping and strategic lighting to cast stark shadows across nude female torsos. The result is an almost uncanny interpretation of the photographer’s inspiration for the show: sculpture.
“The work has been evolving over a two year period,” says Townend. “By drawing from nude sculptures from antiquity to present, I want to evoke reactions ranging from sensual and erotic to the macabre.”
Each of the 32 images in the series is different although each evokes a similar combination of movement, yearning, lust and struggle. The model is captured in a variety of poses, which explore the real-life side of classic sculpture. Townend has masterfully deconstructed the ancient art and with his lens, captured images of its original inspiration, the human body.
About the Photographer
Townend is a seasoned Toronto-area photographer with a variety of tastes and styles. Just last year, he published an open edition book Journey from an Island. 2005 marked the completion of an 18-year project Children of the Landscape, which was acquired by the Mira Godard Collection. Having graduated from the Ryerson Photographic Arts program Townend’s career has flourished as both a corporate photographer as well as an artist who captures personal and often polarizing images which, no matter how you feel about them, will move you.
For more information – www.ktownend.com or email: ktownend@sympatico.ca