Ali Bosworth

On the work of Ali Bosworth

By Jim Breukelman

Ali Bosworth doesn't just look at his surroundings. He examines them with eyes attuned through his on-going prolific output of images. His approach is simple and direct, relying on his practiced vision and curios mind to reveal and imbue his subjects with qualities most people would neither see nor even imagine when experiencing them first-hand.

While each and every one of Bosworth's images is a jewel and can be savoured as such, it would be a mistake to only view them in this manner. From one image to the next, there is consistency in his inventive compositions, his particular feeling for light, his sense of colour, and his ability to monumentalize moments. This consistency allows his image to work together visually as a larger, cohesive body of work that is speaking about something overarching. They can be seen as an intensely personal and vivid autobiography.

Nevertheless, this is not an autobiography that is transparent or easily read. It is full of ambiguity, questions to ponder and allegorical potential to be discovered and considered. Also, in spite of the fact that this is Bosworth's own visual journal, one cannot escape being reminded of one's own life and story when looking at it. Towards that end, this work brims with a raw beauty that serves to hold your attention long enough to begin unpacking its secrets and meaning. But, what Bosworth presents you with is so varied and complex, it requires much more than one viewing. To be able to see into an isolated moment in time is a magical thing. To be able to create work that makes that magic visible for others is both rare and important.

Writing contributed to the 2013 Capture Photography Festival