Perspectives in Blue

Half of the comments suggested I would do as I always did. The other half offered an alternative.

There were two comments … in total. It was evenly divided. I would inevitably disappoint someone.

I’d already overcome one dilemma to get to this point … now I had another.

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This was a very blue jigsaw. Even the whites and blacks were blue.

But it’s an amazing photograph. Titled “Penguins on the beach at The Nuggets and the remains of The Gratitude”, it’ss part of the National Gallery of Australia’s collection and by one of Australia’s legendary photographers – Frank Hurley.

And the photograph itself provides the solution to the colour problem of the puzzle.

Hurley’s chosen vantage point, as well as the photographic equipment used back then, created both perspective and depth of field. The various sizes of the penguins, the degree of sharpness to the lines, as well as the shade and clarity of the sand all helped position each of the tiny abstract pieces I held in my hand.

Perspective can be finely detailed; it is there to be found.

Except, it seems, in the dark mountain up in the corner and then it’s all just trial and error. But, no, if I look carefully, there is a gentle perspective; it’s still there.

Done.

I put the call out to Facebook: “How long might it take me to rustle up the gumption to pull the puzzle apart?”, I asked.

In the end, not pulling it apart was not an option. I cannot take on another object that must be dealt with at some point in the future. If put back in it’s box, it can be passed on to someone else.

I slid my hand under the jigsaw and felt barely any resistance. The pieces tumbled away. I noted how a small number vigorously clung to each other. I left them together, this time.

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The mini jigsaw

Series notes

In this photographic series, I select a number of odd pieces from a puzzle and re-assemble them. The aim is to distill something of the experience of this particular puzzle. In this case, the mini jigsaw celebrates my experience with perspective.

The puzzle

It’s a National Gallery of Australia puzzle, titled “Frank Hurley: Penguins on the beach at the Nuggets and the remains of the Gratitude c. 1913”.