ARTIST FEATURE « trace blog

EDWARD WESTON: Clouds, Trees, Water

July 2nd, 2011 § 2 Comments

Artist Feature, vol. 6

Though Weston is mostly known for his still lifes of inanimate objects such as peppers and cabbage leaves, his landscapes explored the same subject of form that guided most of his work. Here, in Clouds, Trees, Water Weston captured the flora and scenery at Point Lobos,CA and the desert landscape of Oceano,CA.

If you look closely through his images you’ll note why Edward was a part of the f/64 group (which included legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams). His images often employed the use of deep depth of field allowing for all planes of the images to be crisp and in focus (achieved through closing the aperture to f-stop 64). As in his still lifes, curves, cracks and shadows seem to bring the objects to life as Weston’s compositions create movement, contrast, and texture.

Perhaps intentionally, or not, you can start to see traces of human characteristics in these images. Limbs within clouds. Bodies within trunks. Faces within stones. You back up to recognize your imagination is playing with your sight but nonetheless clues suggesting anthropomorphism are in place. Now I wonder, did Weston see the same mirages and were they what drove him to take these photographs in the first place?

Oak, 1929

Iceburg Lake, 1937

Oregon Coast, 1939

Cypress, Point Lobos, 1929

Cypress, Point Lobos 1930

Rain over Modoc Lava Beds, 1937

White Sands, 1946

Oceano, 1936

Tracks in Sand

Untitled Rock Formations

Stonecrop and Cypress, Point Lobos, 1941

White Dune

Surf, 1938

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EDGAR MUELLER: Sidewalk Illusions

May 21st, 2011 § Leave a Comment

Artist Feature vol. 5

This German born artist has been recognized as the master street painter among artists. He uses his knowledge and technique in classical painting to create realistic 3D images on public sidewalks throughout Europe. Mueller‘s work brings the fantastic themes of classical art into our everyday modern world by provoking these incredible encounters on city streets. Imagine walking to your car after work and finding yourself in the middle of one of these incredible settings!

HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: Seascapes

March 6th, 2011 § 1 Comment

Artist Feature vol. 4

This past week at the TED Miami event I heard Edith Widder the marine biologist state that more than 90% of the Earth is ocean. Yet there is still so much we do not know about the oceans and the seemingly infinite variety of creatures that inhabit them.

The ocean evokes so many connotations from it’s mighty power and volume to the serene tranquility of it’s vastness. The Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto captured the essence of these waters in his breathtaking meditative series entitled “Seascapes“.

North Atlantic Ocean, Cliffs of Mother I by Sugimoto

Sea of Japan, 1997 by Sugimoto

Aegean Sea, Pillon 1990 by Sugimoto

North Atlantic Ocean, Cape Breton 1996 by Sugimoto

Baltic Sea, near Rugen, 1996 by Sugimoto

Ligurian Sea, near Saviore 1993 by Sugimoto

” Water and air. So very commonplace are these substances, they hardly attract   attention―and yet they vouchsafe our very existence.

The beginnings of life are shrouded in myth: Let there water and air. Living phenomena spontaneously generated from water and air in the presence of light, though that could   just as easily suggest random coincidence as a Deity. Let’s just say that there happened to be a planet with water and air in our solar system, and moreover at precisely the right distance from the sun for the temperatures required to coax forth life. While hardly inconceivable that at least one such planet should exist in the vast reaches of universe, we search in vain for another similar example.

Mystery of mysteries, water and air are right there before us in the sea. Every time I view  the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home; I embark on a  voyage of seeing. “

- Hiroshi Sugimoto

VIK MUNIZ & Wasteland

February 6th, 2011 § 5 Comments

Artist Feature, vol. 3

"Marat (Sebastiao)" Vik Muniz, 2008

If you haven’t yet heard, this Brazilian native turned world-renowned visual artist went to one of the largest dumpsters in the world (Jardim Gramacho outside of Rio de Janeiro) to create portraits of the “catadores”. The catadores are the individuals who work at the site separating recyclable materials from general waste. This 2011 Oscar nominated documentary entitled “Wasteland” shows Vik and his colleagues throughout the course of a year getting to know each of these characters and their lives as he develops an “image” for the project.

He decides to depict each of them in a series called “Pictures of Garbage” through iconic images of art history such as Jacques-Louis David’s 1793 “The Death of Marat” for Marat (Sebastiao), Pablo Picasso’s 1904 “Woman Ironing” for “Woman Ironing (Isis)” and Atlas, the Titan who held up the world for “Atlas (Carla0)”. This remaking of iconic images has of course been done before. Vik’s originality here lies, as in most of his work, in his choice of medium and context. He photographs these images then projects them from say 40 feet in the air down to the ground. He and the catadores then arrange hundreds of objects found in the landfill to recreate the image out of pure waste. This final sculptural piece is photographed and becomes the final image.

The work is thought provoking and inspiring as his process changes the way we think art is created and achieved. But truly the most impactful aspect of the documentary is the dignity and relentless spirit of the catadores Vik encounters and how this inspires his work and allows for a victorious finale that brings hope and change to the desolate circumstances of life in Jardim Gramacho and to the dreamers, like me, who dream of a better world.

from "Wasteland", view down onto Irma's portrait 2008

from "Pictures of Garbage" 2008

"Saturn Devouring His Son" 2005

Mona Lisa, Peanut Butter and Jelly

from "The Sugar Children Series", 1996

from "Pictures of Clouds"

from "Pictures of People", 2009

"Marylin" 2008

from "Pictures of Earthwork" 2005

Vik Muniz

ANDREAS GURSKY

October 7th, 2010 § Leave a Comment

Artist Feature, vol. 2

Installation Shot

I first learned about the German photographer when a professor of mine suggested I look at his work. He knew I was majoring in architecture and was trying to motivate me towards this genre. I didn’t find it too compelling. I thought it was too restrictive. Then, I saw the beauty in restriction when I observed the seemingly infinite repetition and grand scale of Gursky’s work.

Architecture is expressed through space and form. I was trying to devise a method to express this third dimension in a 2d format that would be more than a formal study of composition. I wanted to convey a sense of grandeur and space. I wanted the viewer to get a sense of what a space feels like when you are inside of it. Sure, this all sounds great and dandy in writing but to actually achieve it proved a more daunting task.

Andreas Gursky’s work impresses me for I feel it captures the monumentality of architecture I was trying to achieve through photography.