Ronnj Medini: Maker of Pictures

The photography of Ronnj Medini reminded me of this quotation by Elliott Erwitt: "To me, photography is an art of observation. . . . I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them." As a viewer of Medini's work, I find that it is difficult to look away from any one of his pieces. They are rich and full and pleasing. Yet in each one there is a tension or a calling that continues to draw you in to find more in the picture. There is so much to see. So much to feel. So much to be revealed. Medini doesn't take pictures of things he sees, rather he makes pictures from the way he sees things.

Ronnj Medini's work is currently being exhibited as part of Still Point Art Gallery's show, Destinations: Famous Places and Intimate Spaces. He was selected to be an Artist of Distinction and he will have the opportunity to show more of his work starting in November as a Gallery Artist.

Dante
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Somewhere, Old Street in Tallinn
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Ronnj Medini was born in the town of Fossombrone in Italy in 1974. The only child of two merry-go-round owners, he comes from a long line of circus performers. As a result he spent his early childhood moving from town to town. When Medini was 10 years old, his parents changed their way of living and decided to settle permanently in the seaside city of Ancona.

Footmarks, Ireland
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As years went by Medini showed a  rich interest in painting, poetry, and writing. Eventually, his artistic inspiration evolved towards photography, and in 2004, by means of a simple compact camera, he started doing work that brought him to a representation of feelings and sensations that goes far beyond the mere descriptive image. Now, as a fine art photographer, Medini expresses himself through his pictures: a stairwell turns into a Dantesque symbol of good and evil, a tower of Babel where souls go up and down, hopefully questing for the eternal light (Dante, above). Medini’s photographs fix sensations and images in time so to give them a biblical power.

Dante. 39.4 x 27.6 inches. Black and white photograph. $500 (print).

Footmarks, Ireland. 27.6 x 39.4 inches. Black and white photograph. $250 (print).

Somewhere, Old Street in Tallinn. 39.4 x 27.6 inches. Black and white photograph. $300 (print).

More information about Ronnj Medini may be found on his website. 

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Christine Brooks Cote

September 7, 2011