Viewing Forget Me Not

In the beautiful rural setting of CLOSE gallery, Somerset, an exhibition featuring five photographers, evokes memory, presence and absence. Titled FORGET ME NOT, artists Andrew Cross, Anna Mossman, Philip Sinden, Mariano Vivanco and Denise Webber come together in a dynamic reflection of, and response to, a world in flux, ever more difficult to grasp and comprehend in its full nuance and complexity.

The exhibition’s title refers to the flower of the same name, and is intended as both a symbol and a warning. In an image-driven world, art still has power, and a responsibility, to show the world and expose injustice, and the show departs from this idea. Philip Sniden’s suggestive, sultry portraits, still lifes and landscapes are filled with a sense of absence that leaves you pondering what we don’t see, while Denise Webber’s works are imbued with a sense of fragility and vulnerability, informed by her early experiences of war in Cyprus, using thresholds as a motif and metaphor.

Another highlight is Peruvian photographer Mariano Vivanco, well-known for photographing the likes of Rihanna, Lewis Hamiliton and the Hadids for global publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Dazed. This exhibition presents a less known, tender and contemplative side to his work, exploring heritage, memory and art as an act of self-preservation. A thought-provoking dialogue that’s worth heading out to Somerset for.