Interpreting the Works – by Pernille Jensen

Today;  a new feature on my blog – guest writers. My friend Pernille is brilliant at interpreting art and constantly blows me away with analysis of my work. I asked her if she would like to contribute an article to my blog and the following is the truly excellent and fascinating result. Thanks very much Pernille!

Interpreting the Works by Pernille Agnes Porsgaard Jensen

Interpreting is all about analyzing, defragmenting and recomposing – and that is what I will be doing with selected pictures shot by Flemming Bo Jensen.

First you need to know that I experience the works as pictures. The fact, that the subject is all about landscapes and thereby nature, is of minor importance to me. It’s all about composition, construction, patterns and storytelling.

By analyzing and interpreting I’m constructing upon the constructions made by the photographer. Thereby reality of the interpretation only exists within the framework of constructions.

The epic of Flemming Bo Jensen

The connected frontiers

The viewer of the pictures is guided into a world of the greatest epic, with references to Sci-Fi and today’s world of landscape photography as an art form. Especially interesting is, that we the viewer through "frozen moments captured in images" gently are guided into an imaginary, breathless dream that is out of this world. We visit the frontiers of nature and dreams:

Frozen moments on planet earth transforms into a surreal existence and dream.

The universe is made of wide open and free spirited experience. No borders, always the thirstiness for what is out there. This universe absorbs the viewer with techniques such as a special focus on magical lighting, compositions with an exit and of course the subject – wonders in nature, on the planet earth. These three techniques are used in order to guide the viewers into a world full of dreaming and magic.

The journey: into the dreams

Choosing to be a viewer of the works is choosing to get on board a special flight to another planet – destination: a touch of otherworldliness.

Especially interesting is that this otherworldliness is created on the basis of the elements of the planet earth. This contradiction, the "real" versus "the surreal" is creating the epic of the pictures. The viewer is confronted with the fact: magic is right here in front of you – all you have to do is reach out for the magic with an open mind.

All you see is happening, right here, right now – with or without you on the plane.

Special lightning

"Light is everything in his paintings" has been said about a Danish painter, P.S. Krøyer. Existence is depended upon light. No light – Nothing – and Nothingness. Light is also everything in the works of FBJ – quite a different light. Both emphasises light in its changing qualities. In common is that the existence of the epic of the pictures depends upon the lightning.

One uses blue, captivating the moment with the style of visible brush strokes creating a flickering experience. The other uses warm colours captivating the moment with the style of the panoramic view.

Both artists makes room for an escape to another place or dream by using open compositions – one by painting, one by taking photographic snapshots – both making epics.

They show nature, everyone can go there, stand there, inhale and absorb. But the pictures are not about realism for neither artist – both add a rare beauty to the chosen subject, being the nature of northern Jutland in Denmark or the Outback in Australia. It’s all about otherworldliness and in the case of the works by Flemming Bo Jensen creating a dream path.

Composition with an exit and landscape as the subject

Using different kinds of composition techniques in the pictures, FBJ creates a universe that opens up to universes beyond this world. The works creates an open system – there is always an invitation in the pictures to take the travel further on – connecting us to the unknown.

Open compositions, is the technique where room for an exit is created, it opens up the epic and presents the promise of the unknown.

The final words about the epic of the works are: the photographer as well as the viewer of the picture is without importance: the magic exits and is out there – both viewers are dared to go!

Analyzing the magic

Above, you are presented with an interpretation of the works by Flemming Bo Jensen. To be summed up, a whole lot of statements about the universe created by FBJ.

Below; I intend to track down and show you the traces of the described universe in selected pictures.

Bulbjerg in a storm

As stated, some core elements are openness. The open composition is often used as a technique to open up into others not yet experienced worlds; guiding the viewer into the dreams.

In this picture this is created by composition – the diagonal composition, the speed and the direction of the clouds opens up the picture and guides the viewer into the unknown. The picture of "Bulbjerg in a storm" also uses the subject of Bulbjerg as a reference into the fantasy world and literature, by referring to a fantasy dragon.

With these two elements (opening and the element of fantasy) working together, an altered reality is created.

Bulbjerg in a Storm
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography

Besides combining the rule of the open system and composition with fantasy, this picture also represents yet another core element and characteristic in the works of FBJ: the statement made about the two viewers as being without any kind of importance. Notice this by watching the main subject in the picture, the fantasy dragon. It’s oriented towards the horizon, the unknown, the land of dreams.

It’s a split second away from flying without noticing the two viewers: the photographer and the interpreter.

Bungle Bungle range in the setting sun

Pointing to another picture, showing how FBJ creates the essence of openness into the pictures and guiding us to an otherworldly experience. This picture is also composed upon the diagonal triangle, creating openness within very fine lines in the composition. This triangle both divides and collects the picture.

In this picture the epic of the unknown is underlined by the opening up into another kind of landscape with yet new promises. This can be noticed in the right side of the picture.

The picture also uses patterns creating abstract touch to the experience. The patterns are made by the grass composition in front of the picture. These patterns are not only a part of the diagonal triangle. It is an example of the artist playing with abstract composition using basic and simple elements of nature.

This is a focus in composition, which is much more evident in the recent pictures shot in Namibia – the classical desert landscapes. In these Flemming Bo Jensen shoots landscapes using patterns in order to create abstractness within the epic of the pictures.

Finally, the picture of "Bungle Bungle range setting in the sun" is using the lightning in order to create a dreaming state of mind, a surreal place to be.

The result is – an epic and timeless experience.

Bungle Bungle range setting in the sun
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography

Deadvlei, twisted tree

This is classic picture within the framework of landscape photography in general. I believe I can track down quite a few with the subject of the tree placed at Deadvlei, Namibia. I know, it’s a favourite of many – but for me, it didn’t bring any new promises. It’s a beautiful picture with a bit of a spinning effect.

Luckily, I saw it on print – and I realized, that there is more to this picture, than I first realized! Besides being beautiful, also this picture guides and dares the viewer to connect to other worlds, into the dreaming.

This is created by the lines of the dune in the back, using the technique of shadows. This creates a dare to the viewer: another world behind the one in the front, is there beauty there or not? Yet again, the composition, made by lines and shadows creates an opening, an exit.

The tree sculpture in the front of the picture is of course a main subject. Very neatly it follows the lines of the dunes. A special touch is the bird, just about to take off – into the unknown – on its own – and breaking down the composition of the picture, by flying the opposite way!

Deadvlei, Twisted Tree
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography

 

Ending with an personal favourite of mine

Walvis Bay dunes at dusk

This desolate, breathtaking and timeless picture with a comic book touch, which creates yet another kind of universal abstractness, is a recent favourite of mine.

If a photograph is shot of my mind in a state of pure happiness – I’m quite sure, it will look just like this.

Walvis Bay dunes at dusk
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography

by Pernille Agnes Porsgaard Jensen