‘Oracular’

Paavo Shooya is a name casually creeping into local consciousness. A credit on a striking photo on Instagram, the eye responsible for a shoot celebrating the fuller feminine figure and now finally, officially, the photographer credited with the art on the walls of the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre’s Restaurant la bonne table in an exhibition simply titled ‘Oracular’.

Presenting a series of mostly black and white photos, some of which are as exceptional as they are desaturated, Paavo’s first solo exhibition is eerie, enigmatic and subtly subversive.

Though they make no claim of activism in name or in the nature of their framing, the most arresting portraits in the collection are those of men.

In ‘We are Both One’, the contrast of a young albino man embracing a darker one challenges ideas of acceptability and sexuality by positioning men in a tender embrace more commonly seen between man and woman or even woman and woman without sending conservative eyebrows rushing towards hairline.

A chaste, striking and contrasting composition, the portrait succeeds in presenting affection between men as natural as black and white or as night and day. A similar sensitivity is cast over the same albino model whose alabaster skin is rendered pink through digital manipulation.

With eyes closed and head amongst thorns, the model looks a thing of fantasy and once again, both through photo and exhibition title, Paavo succeeds in transmitting his vision of his definition of ‘Oracular’. “A blend of confusion, illusion, imagination, consideration, divination and caution.”

Perhaps the photographs that most relate to the conventional definition of the word which connotes the prophetic are ‘Shine’ and ‘Loud Eye’ in which women take centre stage and alternately cover their eyes or gaze out from the depths of black in a haunting stare.

Though the self-taught photographer’s focus is people made somewhat magic through clever composition and editing, Paavo also shows skill in recording architecture in ‘Symmetric Uprise’ where moody clouds roll over a building with windows like dark eyes in a surreal and off-centre scene.

Paavo also reveals a healthy regard for subtlety in one of his most understated pieces in which a laid hand is in focus in front of a bare backside like a fuzzy peach as the photographer foregoes titillation in favour of the grace that imbues the entire collection.

Experimental, elegant and done a disservice by the small size of the frames and the garish green and red of Restaurant la bonne table’s walls, the sheer skill in ‘Oracular’ prevails and introduces a photographer with plenty of promise and an undeniable ability to make much of his imagination.

‘Oracular’ will be on display at Restaurant la bonne table at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre until 31 March.