Human Fragility: Sensing the Unseen

"The Color of Absence" employs mesmerizing imagery to shed light on the theme of absence, which takes myriad contradictory forms - longing amidst proximity, solitude within the deceptive serenity of domestic life, shadows cast on sunlit days, and the juxtaposition of reality with illusion. Fran Forman intricately weaves together and manipulates photographs, blurring the lines between reality and fiction, to narrate poignant tales. Each composition is meticulously crafted over weeks, digitally assembling and layering (often amateur) models, costumes, props, and backgrounds akin to a theatrical stage. Shadows and light, often digitally constructed, emerge as the principal protagonists in her visual narratives.

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Yellow Curtain
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

The Gauting International Photo Summer 2024 is to take place in the municipality of Gauting, nestled within the Munich Metropolitan Area, spanning from June to September. In July, an exhibition "The Color of Absence" by Fran Forman will be hosted outdoors amidst the picturesque town hall garden, accessible around the clock.

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Sebastiaan sitting
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

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Blue Stairway
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

Fran Forman's photographic oeuvre has garnered prestigious accolades and awards, with her works finding a permanent abode in esteemed institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) in Washington, D.C., the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Grace Museum in Abilene, the Sunnhordland Museum in Norway, the Conner Collection at the University of Texas, and the North Down Museum in Northern Ireland.

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Fran Forman
Photo by Anastasia
Sierra

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Cigarette by the Window
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

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Marathon Cafe
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

Forman's compositions transport subjects into enigmatic realms, distant from the confines of societal proximity. These figures are as transient as shadows, ensconced within their inner sanctums. The interplay of light within shadowy spaces, accompanied by an eerie silence, gradually evokes a profound sense of existential isolation. Vacant spaces hint at absence or the ethereal 'interstice' between realms. Geometric elements, particularly rectangles and diagonals, allude to stability, sanctuary, and a firm foundation, yet fail to quell a sense of unease. Lively fantasies ensnare viewers in a distorted perception of time and space, ultimately offering an 'escape route' through illuminated windows, mirrors, or slightly ajar doors.

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A Woman’s Shadow
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

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Man in Virginia
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

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Portrait of a Lady
by Fran Forman
© Fran Forman, courtesy Rathaus Gauting & Michael Nguyen

Drawing inspiration from Edward Hopper's canvases, Forman's protagonists exude fragility. Each photograph spins its own narrative, captured within the interstices of absence, urging spectators to transcend the visible and embrace the imperceptible.

Fran Forman: The Color of Absence

Dates30 June - 3 August 2024
VenueRathaus Gauting, Town Hall Garden
Bahnhofstr. 7, D - 82131 Gauting
URLhttps://www.gauting.de/