Review of At the Still Point - Exhibit at Meetinghouse in Ridgebury

Once again, something good is happening at the Meetinghouse in Ridgebury! This time it is the latest in an ongoing series of artistic and musical events on the Meetinghouse campus.

The current exhibit is a one-person photography exhibit called “At the Still Point”, featuring the talents of Elizabeth Greenwood. 

The show is modest in scope, but potent in content. It consists of two apparently contrasting parts. The first is a series called “Skyscapes”, exploring the view of clouds, sun, sky, and water through the window of a small airplane above Lake Michigan. These beautiful photographs resemble abstract paintings in their balanced composition, including the use of random shapes, color (natural monochromatic blue), contrasting light and dark, and positive space, which together create a peaceful harmony.

At first blush, the second segment of the exhibit, couldn’t be more different from the first.  It is anchored by a large triptych called “Vierter Teil: Lila”, which is a vivid study of a dancer in three different positions of a dance. The images are sharply focused and set against a pale purple background; The dancer’s garments are jet black with bright primary-colored flowing trim, creating an eye-catching composition. Each of the three positions of the dancer forms an evocative shape, brimming with potential energy to be resolved in the next moment.

Upon careful study of the two segments of the show, similarities can be found. The title of the exhibit offers a clue. In both segments, the artist has taken advantage of the camera’s unique power to extract the infinite from the instant, to freeze chronological time in a shutter-click, leaving a silent memory that can be viewed, enjoyed, and pondered indefinitely. 

Like cherry blossoms in the spring, a glorious sunset, or a snowflake on a window pane, the world around us is full of ephemeral moments for us to enjoy. The artist’s images give us the opportunity to escape the rigors of chronological time and find the ‘still point’ that can refresh and exhilarate us.

Elizabeth Greenwood was trained in photography at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Despite her youth, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. An eclectic mix of vocation and avocations includes her nascent career as an airline pilot and her passion for “everything airborne”. She is a rock climber and trapeze artist during her time off and searches out any opportunity to fly and “chase the moment” of sublime visions.

The exhibit will be on view in Shield’s Hall on the Meetinghouse campus at 602 Ridgebury Road, in Ridgefield until the end of September. Visiting hours are Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 2 to 4 pm or by appointment at 203-748-2806.