What the public wants is the image of passion, not passion itself… the wrestler’s gesture needs no anecdote, no décor, in short no transference in order to appear true. Roland Barthes, Mythologies.
Richard Denyer has created a set of photographic prints which subvert the normal representation of wrestling and search for a more intimate and disturbing encounter with this popular theatrical demi-monde. Richard regularly attended wrestling programmes during the 1970s and 1980s as this type of provincial event was beginning to lose its audience to the razzmatazz of all-star American spectaculars. UK free-style wrestling nevertheless persists as a cathartic live experience for thousands of fans. Beyond the aggressive atmosphere and posturing which characterise the fights lie expressions, attitudes and gestures which, as in all good theatre, reflect universal emotions.
The Image of Passion is a set of six framed prints, 80 x 105cm, signed and dated on the reverse in an edition of ten.
The negatives have been scanned at 9600 dots per inch and printed at 300 dpi. The images are re-sized and re-mastered for high quality archival printing.
Prints are made by Bill Jackson (www.billjackson.biz) on Hahnemühle Photorag 308 gsm archival fine art paper using an Epson 9900 HDR printer with Epson Ultrachrome HDR™ archival inks. This system has been designed to specifically produce archival prints for the fine art photography market. Hahnemühle Fine Art has been producing and selling artist's paper since 1584 and their digital Fine Art papers are made to last for centuries. All Hahnemühle papers are produced in accordance with DIN6738 and ISO9706 specifications for archive grade paper. The papers are 100% acid free with a neutral pH.
Richard can be contacted on 0776 1811 681 or at richard@richarddenyer.co.uk
Richard Denyer
Norwich
Norfolk
United Kingdom
Europe
