ONE EYE OPEN

2 September to 2 October 2021

To keep one’s eye open suggests a limited view; like the crinkled eye as it struggles towards wakefulness.

 Drawn from Clara Adolphs vast archive of vintage photographs, this body of work turns its solitary eye to the individual. Adolphs figures are alone in their presence and in the unique perspectives they embody, each one captured within a finite moment in time.

“I like the thought of the energy trapped inside them, and the mystery of what came before and after that moment in time.”

The works are filled with quiet and pensive moments; moments that slip away as suddenly as the paint has been applied to the canvas. Working quickly and with purpose, Adolphs allows the paint to take on a life of its own.

With only one eye open, it becomes increasingly important to be watchful and observant, to be careful and attentive. Spending time with the work of Clara Adolphs allows us this opportunity.