PARAMOUR - The work of Michelle Gemma
Michell Gemma considers her work in black and white photography to be very emotional. She uses models to help represent an emotional state, which ties into place and time.
The Underscore
The lovers are in a continuous movement of dialogue.
The time is then, (stolen), the language is mesmerizing.They have taken to the village, behind the wall of lamentations,Under the secret stone archway, against the garden fence.
The scenes play out in excruciating sequence.We hear the quick murmurs, a rising fever in a voice.The quivers of touch we feel,The fading footsteps.
The sun is falling.
The sword stabs at our memory, pricking our ears,We overhear the birds singing twilight songs into the hourglass,
Divine and mortal, our lover the unmoved mover.“the closer phenomena come to the focal point of Inversion, the more they tend to collide with one another…” (Cirlot)
The tragedy of beauty is autumn.
I consider my work in black and white photography to be very emotional. I use models to help represent an emotional state, which ties into place and time. I go for a very nostalgic point of view, almost to the point of histrionics. The camera is perfectly designed for dramatic effect. I am drawn to the uniqueness of black and white photography because as Graham Nash once observed, “ We see in color, so black and white is immediately different.”
This distinguishing characteristic creates an elevation of the moment that is an absolute for me. History is very important to me, and one’s place in history is even more important. I cherish the place where I am from, and want to make a contribution towards its history through my photographs.
Models: Gage Pray and Bethany Watson.
For more of Michelle's work see her in "Course Correction" her photo essay with Ellery Twining in "Le Sexx"Michelle GemmaMystic, Connecticut, USA