Emerging Artists, Emerging Visions
By Helen A. Harrison

Marrilyn Bridges/Ion Zupcu

''The two photographers work from opposite vantage points. Mr.Zupcu's is a head-on, intimate perspective, while Ms. Bridges looks at the world obliquely and from a distance. He is only inches from his subjects; she is hundreds of feet above them. There are also plenty of such details in Zupcu's luscious, sepia-toned still lifes, although subdued lighting and soft focus make them somewhat elusive. His vision is unashamedly Romantic, so his probing gaze is discretely veiled. His subjects are old bottles, tools, keys, flowers and other standard props, artfully arranged in elegant, highly formalized compositions. The illuminations is diffused, however, blending highlights into shadows to create a velvety patina. The glow through translucent elements like frosted glass and flower petals complements the dull sheen of reflective surfaces, so neither effect is dominant. Mr. Zupcu's strategy is one of balance on all levels, even down to the square shape of the prints themselves''.