The journey of the sensualist I

item details

NameThe journey of the sensualist I

ProductionFiona Pardington; photographer; circa 1988

Classificationblack-and-white prints, gelatin silver prints, works of art

Materialssilver, photographic paper, photographic gelatin

Materials Summaryphotograph, toned gelatin silver print

Techniquesblack-and-white photography, toning

DimensionsImage: 278mm (width), 278mm (height)

Registration NumberO.031130

Credit linePurchased 2007

Overview

This extract originally appeared in New Zealand Photography Collected: 175 Years of Photography in Aotearoa (Te Papa Press, 2025).

It is difficult to exactly figure out the content of this photograph. Are these arms or legs that protrude from a richly embroidered tapestry? Rotating the image ninety degrees right gives a different perspective, though doesn’t answer this question conclusively. And what about the silvery ribbons? They seem like some sort of metallic fluid that has run down over the print. An apparent stain on the print at the knee or elbow on closer examination has an inexplicable sharp line to it, as though another photograph has been cut and pasted here. A fine cut appears at the hip or shoulder too. It is a very tactile image, full of the physical world but also of mystery, with a title, The journey of the sensualist I, that keys us to its erotic intent.