Abi Bruno
Abi Bruno is a fluxus analogue photographer who has a background as a curator with Culturally Arts Collective. She has exhibited in Indiana at Rueff Galleries and Ringel Gallery as well as has been published by The Bell Tower literary journal.
The fluxus analogue photography of Abi Bruno typically depicts figures and scenes which seem deeply haunted or fixated between shifting planes. From multiple exposures to extreme granularity to elements of performance, these photographs reveal a sense of profound inner-darkness, a sense of entrapment being slowly released through essence and fissured dimensions. If this language sounds abstract, the reason would be because Abi Bruno’s portfolio of analogue photographs are essentially based in mystery and suspense. From a figure seemingly blending into fine sheets of linen against a sun-bleached patio window to portraits which appear like the actor is trying to summon spirits, these ambiguous photographs reveal a dream-like narrative, especially when observed in a sequence.
These analogue photographs as a group may not be directly related to one another to the variety of scenes, but when observed as a whole, there seems to be a theme based in capturing the essence of time, the figure, and environment in a state of improvised flux. Some of the photographs appear staged, but even these works appear highly improvisational and in-the-moment of time. This sense of mindfulness becomes especially accentuated in the heavy granular distortion of the analogue 35mm film. The heavy exposure, saturation, and contrast to the works create a distinct style which seems apparitional, dream-like, and aesthetically rich, with actors and atmospheres engulfed in a thick sfumato of granular substance and surface.
Untitled V. 5 (pictured above) is a particularly striking work. The figure seems to streak across the composition as if she were to leap or ascend off the surface. Her fine linen dress, blurred focus, and shut eyes captures a profound sense of escapism and fleeting moment within the frame of the shot. With a rapid sense of motion and suspense, the theatrical elements within this photograph reveal an element of swiftness and agility based in refinement yet mystery.
What we will find within these mysterious compositions by Abi Bruno is a deeper appreciation for the fluxus aspects of raw analogue photography. Such rawness reveals a profound sorrow yet sense of enlightenment with her careful play and dichotomy between shadows and light. Also, Abi Bruno’s experimentation with multiple exposures amidst light and fine linen as well as scenes based in low-light create a deeper sense of mystery and suspense to her indirect narratives. As a fluxus analogue photographer, she reveals the tension within the frame and the subject through subtle poses, the distortion of the film, and sensitivity to the manipulation of light depending on the type of scene she is capturing. These excellent works leave a lasting mark past first impressions based on their striking composure based in curiosity and a sense of deeper discovery.
