LIP Central July 2024 Meeting – LIP Satellite Groups

Featured image © Steve Jones

The theme for July was ‘Shibui’, the Japanese concept of simplicity and unobtrusive beauty. Nineteen members attended; there were twelve presentations on the theme and two personal projects.

The first presentation was given by Hady, who depicted simple forms both in nature (plants and grass) and man-made materials (metal and fabric).

These were followed by Sue’s landscape views which featured hues from the Shibui colour palette, particularly black, brown and soft white. Sue also showed a green closeup of fern leaves.

Austin showed a range of subjects, particularly interpreting the Japan-influenced designs of Frank Lloyd Wright in which architecture and natural surroundings are integrated, e.g. the Fallingwater House. (Above: Nanzen-ji, Kyoto)

Mark produced a series of closeups taken in Suffolk which explored natural forms in muted colours. His view of sea spray generated much positive discussion.

Edey presented images taken in the Kyoto Garden, Holland Park, for each of the seven central tenets of Shibui: simplicity, implicitness, modesty, silence, naturalness, everydayness and imperfection. (Above: ‘Silence’)

Steve’s images were taken on a journey around some less-visited areas of northern Japan and featured interior fittings, pedalos and the imprint left by a demolished wooden building against an adjacent wall.

Nusse combined natural and urban closeups, exploring forms in monochrome and Shibui colours. (Above: moisture on leaf.)

Pauline’s interpretation of the theme involved the almost exclusive use of white light, resulting in subtle portraits of a variety of objects and settings and compelling the viewer to look more closely at each.

Rashida combined natural settings in Canada and South Africa with studies of single objects. Stillness and simplicity recurred within each. (Above: moon over Table Mountain.)

Julian showed a series of views of Doubtful Sound on the South Island of New Zealand. Low clouds helped to create a sense of a silent, natural world with subdued Shibui hues.

Chloe’s images featured mundane household items with muted tones, including a jumper on a banister and a partly-sunlit basket corner. She also showed a triptych of vases which had been discarded in a cemetery.

Jan’s images were based upon contemplation in the natural world, including a clifftop, a dry riverbed and a small waterfall near Box Hill. There was also a tree hanging horizontally over a rocky edge in the Dolomites.

Heather’s personal project featured street photography in downtown New York. These included workmen, subway passengers and visitors to the Guggenheim Museum.

Janet showed physical exhibits from her recent projects. Slides had been digitised with some included in a photo book. Multiple copies of prints had been cut and arranged into pop-up works which members were able to handle and study.