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Space to Wonder

By 19th April 2021July 2nd, 2021No Comments

Some Time to Ponder

When was the last time you stopped to really take in a photograph?

A photograph of a river the colour of jade that runs between mountains.

Intrinsic to photography is the pleasure of discovering, imagining, reflecting, unveiling. And there are different ways of seeing art – different ways of “getting” it. All are valid. When we deliberately slow down to read images, relating to them from a personal perspective, we can gain a more reflective experience by creating  space for the imagination.

All you need to do is gaze, and follow your intuition.

Setting the Stage

  1. Make some space in your day and turn your phone off. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and get comfortable.
  2. Scroll through the images below. Sense your first reactions to them. 
  3. This could be a feeling, a thought, an opinion, a memory, an idea…anything.
  4. Note down what comes up. Don’t worry about being right or wrong; don’t worry if it’s completely random.
In an arid landscape with dusty earth, two women dressed in bright orange, flowing dresses dance, their clothes swaying with movement. To the right of the image stands a thorny tree with no foliage which has been decorated with small, brightly coloured balls.

In an attempt to flag down tourist buses, Emsi Tjambiru and Beverly Tjinvide dance on the dusty road near their craft stall. C35 Khorixas District, Namibia - October 2017 © Margaret Courtney-Clarke

In an attempt to flag down tourist buses, Emsi Tjambiru and Beverly Tjinvide dance on the dusty road near their craft stall. C35 Khorixas District, Namibia - October 2017 © Margaret Courtney-Clarke

A woman stands on the side of a dusty road with both arms raised in the air, attempting to flag down a vehicle (which is not visible in the photograph). She is positioned on the left of the image and slightly behind and to her right, we see what look like two animal sculptures of a Rhino and an Ostrich running towards the road.

In an attempt to flag down a tourist vehicle, Alexandrine Hanabis reaches out. Tsiseb Conservancy Namibia - January 2019 © Margaret Courney-Clarke

In an attempt to flag down a tourist vehicle, Alexandrine Hanabis reaches out. Tsiseb Conservancy Namibia - January 2019 © Margaret Courney-Clarke

An arid landscape with mountains along the horizon line in the distance. To the right in the foreground, there is a woman laying down in a man-made shelter. Her legs stick out of the shelter and we see her bare feet.

Dorothea and her daughter, Elneray, Take a nap in the shade of their roadside stall. Black Ranch, Pos #2 Spitzkoppe, Namibia - January 2016 © Margaret Courtney-Clarke

Dorothea and her daughter, Elneray, Take a nap in the shade of their roadside stall. Black Ranch, Pos #2 Spitzkoppe, Namibia - January 2016 © Margaret Courtney-Clarke

A desert landscape with a cloud of dust floating in the air

Roadside grave of two game poachers...pissed on by my dog. Dorob National Park, Namibia - February 2016 © Margaret-Courtney-Clarke

Roadside grave of two game poachers...pissed on by my dog. Dorob National Park, Namibia - February 2016 © Margaret-Courtney-Clarke

A image of 6 people ranging from a young child to an old woman, in a rural setting. There are mountains in the distant background and in the foreground, the old woman is seated on a bench positioned in front of 4 chairs and a large image depicting a similar landscape.

Mariam in Ararat, as part of the series 1915 © Diana Markosian

Mariam in Ararat, as part of the series 1915 © Diana Markosian

Image showing the silhouettes of a line of people, a tree and a lamppost. The scene is overlaid with a red hue.

4,000km from the river source, Mother River Project, 2010-2014 © Yan Wang Preston

4,000km from the river source, Mother River Project, 2010-2014 © Yan Wang Preston

A panoramic view of the outskirts of a city. A number of muslim women and men are dispersed across the scene, either walking or standing. In the background we see a large billboard next to two apartment blocks.

Tehran, 2006 © Mitra Tabrizian

Tehran, 2006 © Mitra Tabrizian

Deliberately stopping to reflect on an artwork can give us a chance to wonder around the spaces of our own experiences, memories, feelings and imaginations.

Did you notice any interesting thoughts or feelings? Anything surprising?

Expand the Imagination

Look at the photographs again. This time, pause to spend time with one image.

Let your eyes wander slowly around different parts of the image, resting in each space and taking in its every detail. 

As you do, let your imagination wander.

In whichever way you prefer, explore your thoughts, ideas and feelings on paper.

This could be a journaling exercise: simply free-write without editing. Allow yourself to flow with this, not worrying about whether what you’re writing makes sense.

You might want to draw, paint, write a poem or some prose – fiction or non.

Immerse yourself in this for at least 10-15 minutes, and for as long as you wish. Lose a sense of time, if you can.

To find out more about the artists and work featured here, follow the links below.

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