Endless Forms Most Beautiful | Janelle Lynch
Janelle Lynch, Beyond, 2022, Cyanotype, 76 x 56 cm © Janelle Lynch, courtesy of Flowers Gallery.
Text: Max Wiener
It’s a popular narrative that the ocean is one of the scariest places on planet Earth. It’s true - not only has much of it remain unexplored, but some species occupy its depths that still have yet to be discovered. It takes something like Janelle Lynch’s new series Endless Forms Most Beautiful to encourage us to plunge into the water with a youthful candor and eagerness for exploration. On the walls of London’s famed Flowers Gallery, we see gorgeous cyanotypes of ocean seascapes saved only for dreams; it’s as if we’ve achieved nirvana. Lucky viewers have had the opportunity to see Lynch’s stunning series since June 8, and those not yet blessed will have the chance to do so until July 1.
Janelle Lynch, Blue Pixie, 2022, Cyanotype, 76 x 56 cm © Janelle Lynch, courtesy of Flowers Gallery.
Lynch’s photography makes us feel like we are sinking deeper into a numbing transcendental meditation, bringing us to a serenity seldom achieved through an art exhibition. She tells a story through her work, like a fairy tale, and each image begs us to go further down her rabbit hole of seduction. We can’t exactly make out what we’re looking at, but that encourages our minds to make up our own stories and expands the possibilities of our imagination. The blue hues of her work are incredibly soothing, serving as a sort of meditation in their own right.
Janelle Lynch, Glide, 2022, Cyanotype, 76 x 56 cm © Janelle Lynch, courtesy of Flowers Gallery.
Janelle Lynch, Metamorphosis I, 2022, Cyanotype, 76 x 56 cm © Janelle Lynch, courtesy of Flowers Gallery.
Nothing is too in-your-face or outlandish; everything appears just right. This is especially apparent in Lynch’s Metamorphosis, Glide, and Sprite series’, where our intrigue for the subject physically draws us closer to the art and makes us question our perception of reality. Lynch has suggested that this could be an allusion to an “extra-sensory realm,” saying that these " affirm the fundamental value of all life in all its manifestations, including the afterlife.” Her genius truly shines through here, as her work encourages us to ask questions to ourselves and draw conclusions to find its meaning.
Janelle Lynch, Witness III, 2022, archival pigment print © Janelle Lynch, courtesy of Flowers Gallery.
In tandem with her stunning cyanotypes, Lynch showcases her exceptional grasp of black-and-white photography with three selected images titled her Witness series. The title is explicit and holds in each image, providing a clear-cut basis for our artistic exploration. There is a very raw experience to these images and in the best way imaginable. Lynch’s sharpness allows us to enjoy a charcuterie board of senses as we glance at each photograph. We can smell the images and feel them. Sometimes, we imagine ourselves in her world, taking us on a transportation experience through mediums in a single still frame. Her robust artistic profile is shown through these images, taking us on a journey through the unknown and the known, showing us her aesthetic intelligence. Because of Lynch, we feel we have been seen as we leave the Flowers Gallery.
