Since 1990, Jeffrey Blondes' work has focused on natural cycles in the landscape and the perception of time. Each film is created with a particular conceptual, observational or technical objective.
The shooting schedules and locations frequently are timed to record a seasonal or exceptional celestial event in a specific place. Other films are made more spontaneously over the course of a year, near his home in rural France. For Blondes, time calculations and camera mechanics are key elements of his process. He might pan a single camera across a landscape from sunrise to sunset, use an imperceptible zoom that changes from macro to wide-angle over 15 hours, or position two cameras back-to-back to capture a 360-degree experience of an environment over a year. One of the pieces included in the exhibition - Wyoming 3 x 180 - is a study of texture within an intimate landscape, shot in three identical sweeping 180° arcs over several seasons. The films are recorded without sound. However, the mesmerizing imagery can conjure the delicate rustle of aspen leaves or hushed snowfall in the viewer’s imagination. Observing the real-time progression of a Blondes film evokes a mindful response, as the viewer connects with the slow rhythm of nature.
