DRAWINGS / MARSHOGRAMS
A friend of Harry’s coined the term ‘Marshogram' after receiving one of these sketches of the Saltmarsh. These lines lines are a brief communication of the basic elements of the visual dynamics of salt marsh. Each one is different as varying emphasis is given to sky, wind, horizon, creek and anchor. They are ’signatures' if you like by someone who is somewhat obsessed by these tidal places. Here I have selected a few gems from Harry’s huge archive of sketches. They vary in size but generally are quite small, jewel-like and look beautiful when framed.
Harry's drawings run in parallel to his larger photographic works. In their simple gestural form they are very much the opposite of the approach using the big 10x8 inch camera with all its visual detail. The camera's strong capacity to render the totality of visual information of a place allows every single detail to be shown with no abstraction. His drawings of the salt marsh on the other hand explore the opportunities of minimal information, where gesture, tone, colour and often singe line are used to represent the fundamental elements of this dynamic landscape.
Harry's drawings run in parallel to his larger photographic works. In their simple gestural form they are very much the opposite of the approach using the big 10x8 inch camera with all its visual detail. The camera's strong capacity to render the totality of visual information of a place allows every single detail to be shown with no abstraction. His drawings of the salt marsh on the other hand explore the opportunities of minimal information, where gesture, tone, colour and often singe line are used to represent the fundamental elements of this dynamic landscape.
