“I photograph things front-on with as little direction or intervention as possible,” says British artist Sarah Jones, who is interested in what can be expressed with the most limited of means. In her photograph “Analyst, (Couch)(I), 2007,” there is very little to hold on to: some deep red fabric, a textured white wall and a ruffle or indent where once the analyzed lay. And yet, this image alone takes the viewer’s mind on an unsettling stroll through thoughts of fear, sadness and loss. Similarly, her “The Fig Tree (Sydenham)(I) 1999,” with its gnarly, knotted root-like trunk and balletic attempt to find space to grow in a strangled environment is simple in composition, and yet hints at an entire philosophical movement. There is a sense of organized chaos in her work. Her portraits—where each subject is stripped back to its emotional truth—are existentialist in their essence. They are paired down to create a purity and focus that is reflective. Rich in color and texture, Jones’ images suggest a space that is at once physical and psychological. Whether looking at her rose series, where limp flower heads are put in the spotlight along with their disease-speckled leaves, or her couch series, she confronts issues of mortality and the predicament of living with others while ultimately being alone.
       
The exhibition Sarah Jones shows at Maureen Paley, London, 17 March through 19 April.