An exhibition of landscape photographs inspired by Wuthering Heights has gone on display at the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth.
The photographs, by Sam Taylor-Wood, are titled Ghosts and were shot on the moors which inspired Emily Bronte to write her masterpiece. The classic novel serves as a backdrop to Sam’s photographs.
The landscape in Ghosts is bleak and unremitting, echoing the brutal portrayal of heightened passion and suffering found in Wuthering Heights.
Traces of the novel are found in a photograph of solitary leafless trees, twisted towards each other, embodying Cathy and Heathcliff. Throughout the series, Sam’s response to the book has been to photograph the wildness of air that inspired the novel.
The series was originally exhibited as part of Sam’s recent show, Yes I No, in London. The photographs have been resized to fit the Parsonage and are exhibited in the period rooms as part of the museum’s Contemporary Arts Programme.
“Exhibiting such powerful work by such a prominent artist is tremendously exciting,” says arts officer Jenna Holmes. “As well as showcasing the ways in which the Brontes continue to influence contemporary culture, Ghosts is also an important addition to the strong legacy of landscape photography in the area.
“We hope that by exhibiting Ghosts in the place that inspired it, new layers and connections will be drawn between the work and the Parsonage, as well as offering the public a unique opportunity to see important contemporary art in an unusual setting.”
Sam Taylor-Wood graduated from Goldsmiths College in 1990, and has received international critical acclaim for her work in photography and film.
In 2004, she famously exhibited a film of David Beckham asleep. The work was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery and is in its permanent collection.
Ghosts runs at the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth until November 2. For more information ring (01535) 640188.
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