"Beyond" series: Beyond Religiosity, Beyond Nationalism, Beyond Political Polemics

Holly Downing

In 2009 Downing created this series of atmospheric images, titled “The Beyond Series,” that offer an alternative to the weighty existentialism of civilization’s self-imposed perspectives, encouraging the viewer to look “beyond.” Here, she combines three long-format plates on one sheet, creating a grid of images that suggest looking through a window. Each plate is a layer of earthly and heavenly meditation: we can imagine ourselves leaning back and glimpsing those varying night time elements that lend themselves to meditation: fog, stars, and ocean waves.

"Beyond Religiosity - Beyond Nationalism - Beyond Political Polemics" compounds the effects of the images: reminding us that we are a part of something much larger, more mysterious, and infinitely more lasting than our earthly bodies and woes.

Downing's work is often presented as a series in which she explores themes of transcendence, life and death, and appreciation for those objects we often overlook. Her work's strength lies in its purposeful subtlety, with the patient, meditative action of the mezzotint technique lending gravity to the simple subject matter.