We have started creating reviews of work and exhibitions we see, this is the latest review of Alexandra Huddleston’s artist book. “Orientation”
You can also read about her practice here as she is our guest artist of the month.
I have only seen Alexandra’s photography in an exhibition context in the past which I love, so to get the chance to read her latest Art book was a pleasure.
This book is a beautifully made small book containing only five short texts.
They are delicately nestled between two of her landscape photographs and accompanied by her latest catalogue of landscape photography.
Although short these writings give you a full account of the journeys Alexandra has taken during this project, and this book fits perfectly with our theme this month of “Artist books”.
Each text takes you on a journey with Alexandra, be that in a park, on a pilgrimage, or a memory.
Her language is well thought out to take you to that very moment, allowing you to be part of her experiences on this journey.
I can sympathise with Alexandra’s experiences in “Tracking” in Ireland because that terrain sounds very much like the Yorkshire Dales where I had lived for a year.
The land is very unforgiving, as it is in much of the UK’s “wilder’ areas. The weather changes like the wind and the signposts are few and far between as though they don’t really want you to experience the raw beauty of our landscape.
In this short text, you can feel how she felt in this unforgiving land and how quickly Alexandra had to use her intuition and senses to navigate her way through.
This ancient way of navigating landscape is something we all have buried very deep within us, but it takes a lot of searching and trusting ourselves to find it, and then to use it, It was this trusting herself that put Alexandra back on track.
This is a delightful artist’s book that I highly recommend.
Links
Website: https://www.alexandrahuddleston.com
Instagram: @adh2103