1:21 is a collection of unseen photographs and videos that offer the viewer rare insights into the mind of the photographer. Intimate and intensely personal, the show brings together Arnold’s most recent work exploring the close relationship between the photographer’s inner landscape and his surroundings. There is no distinction between what Arnold shoots and who he is.
Informed by his background as a photo-journalist, Arnold possesses the rare talent of seeing things before they appear, reminding us that any unassuming moment can become extraordinary. These often-overlooked split-seconds in time reveal the synchronicities, ironies, joys, and grit of life. Perhaps it’s Arnold’s willingness to slightly outstay his welcome, to linger and observe in an effort to bear witness to what might unfold. With a 35mm film camera at his hip, Arnold combines careful anticipation with bold confrontation to capture the vulnerabilities of his subjects. Reaching new levels of intimacy, immediacy, and beauty, Arnold reminds us to pay attention to the neglected oddities of everyday life. Therein lies a flicker of light where, with paralyzing honesty, Arnold shows us what it means to be human.
