KHANA 04 REVIEWS KENDA NORTH

"Being underwater is a state of buoyancy, fluidity and weightlessness. Unlike the open sea, water in a pool offers an ambiguous spatial depth with a color range from indigo to cerulean. The figures in these images emerge from the blue field surrounded by fabric and tulle. The color blue is a mindset for me, it speaks of desire, daydreams, blue gestures and blue thoughts. In this state of being submerged, we are brought to a place of sensory awareness and uncertain reality. Color, reflections and the confusion of materials and figure produce a world both mysterious and defined by light."

The part in the quote where she speaks about being brought to a "place of sensory awareness..." and the color ranges from several blues and greens is what I noticed first about her "Submerged" work. Not necessarily to the that exact precision but the thing that brought me in immediately was how I knew it was a person in a pool but it resembled a painting. Almost photorealistic in a sense, the way the colors from the surface interact with the color of the water and mix and change.
Not only that but the way she positions and crops her image makes it much more compelling; how she is able to play and incorporate with the reflection of the subject just under the waters surface and consider that into the composition.

I'm familiar with works underwater in pools and have seen several artists go this route, but I do believe that Kenda North does it the most successful. It makes me as the viewer know its a pool but also has me disregard it and see it in a different light as well. A way of slowing down time if you will and have the viewer analyze motion and how things come to life. I enjoy seeing different colors incorporate into the wardrobes of the subjects along with the depth of field and color of the water.