Boo Beaumont’s X-ray photographs distil flowers to their very essence. Exposure to radiation shows hidden drama beneath surface calm: a chrysanthemum dissolves into the ether yet glows warmly from inside, holding its leaves like arms outstretched in welcome.
Fluid lines of fibres and vessels trace patterns of growth, locating plants in both time and space: a taut bud is about to break, overblown petals are about to fall. Beaumont’s magnolia X-ray creates a narrative by showing blooms at various stages of development. A shot of a parrot tulip, arguably past its prime, fills a frame: its crinkled petals surmount ribbon-like foliage. “Just before its death the tulip is exquisite, more beautiful when very old and close to dropping than when it’s young,” says Beaumont.
Sculpture was Beaumont’s passion at art school, and an intuitive grasp of the three-dimensional shines through in her work. On graduation, she created freestanding neon pieces inspired by New York and Las Vegas hoardings. These led to commissions for “light” sculptures as rock-concert backdrops. Film, television and fashion styling followed, training Beaumont’s eye to the demands of the camera and to the disciplines of expensive studio time.
Leaving the limelight to raise her children, Beaumont concentrated on stills photography. In 1996, she began her Remarkable Women series, featuring such luminaries as Mother Teresa and Mary Quant. The National Portrait Gallery subsequently purchased 12 of these portraits. As a result of this interest, Beaumont was approached by Swindon’s Great Western Hospital to mount an exhibition. It was decided to show a new series of colour-saturated close-ups of flowers. Almost immediately Beaumont wondered what would happen if she used X-ray equipment to photograph plants. “It was another way of drawing with light. The radiology department, like me, were amazed, not least because the prints show a different side to the machinery. Too often it heralds information you don’t want to know, but it can also convey beauty, joy and hope.”
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To find that one perfect rose, Beaumont buys armfuls of blooms, then brings them on in the warm or holds them back in the cold. Such is the sensitivity of the equipment that even the slightest bruise will show, but thanks to digital imaging she sees the results straight away and can rearrange her specimens. “I have a half-hour slot at the end of the lists on Thursdays. I have to be adaptable, changing instantly if I don’t see what I want, if something doesn’t work, or if there’s a flaw.” The results speak for themselves.
Limited-edition 16in x 12in prints are available: £500 unframed and £565 framed. Larger prints may be commissioned on paper,
canvas or glass: 07801 130140; www.boobeaumont.org