Richard Misrach's On the Beach - on view until Jan 18th at the Henry Art Gallery
I went to his lecture preceding the opening with no preconceived expectations and was pleasantly surprised to receive a well-delivered talk that encompassed not only the logic leading up to On the Beach but also included a synopsis of his previous bodies of work. In talking about On the Beach, he was very exacting about situating the beginnings of the work as a response to 9/11, specifically the iconic images of people falling and jumping from the Towers.
Misrach was careful to emphasize the fact that the work was informed but was not about these events; after feeling much of the ennui plaguing many artists during the time, he recounted a vacation to Hawaii across the entire country and finding beauty in the prostrate forms on the beach below his hotel where "bodies became sensual to me once again."
Though there are definitely interesting implications that can be drawn from the inspiration guiding the work, the show is definitely worth seeing in person due to its sheer aesthetic beauty - the prints were made using a large format camera using 8x10" negatives. Stunning.
Carey Denniston at Punch Gallery
There is something about Denniston's work that seems carefully nostalgic while still managing to somehow remain rooted in the present.
In other news, I will be giving an artist talk next wednesday (10/29) for my show that is currently hanging in Parnassus Gallery in the basement of the art building at UW. The talk will run from 7-9, so come by, say hello, have some food, hang out, etc.
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