Structure and Color | Michael EASTMAN in New York
The selection of large-scale architectural photographs on view were taken during Eastman’s extensive travels throughout Cuba, Europe, Asia and the United States. The exhibition explores the artist’s distinctive use of color and pictorial structure to illuminate disparate cultures and time periods.
Deco Stairwell #2, Havana, 2014 ©Michael Eastman/Courtesy of Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York
Michael Eastman
Structure and Color
19 February – 4 April 2015
Edwynn Houk Gallery
New York
PR Info _ In Eastman’s photographs of Havana (see illustration) the vibrant colors and architecture recall the heydey of Havana’s history, but are juxtaposed with signals of its economic decline: a rectangle of fading where a painting once hung; crumbling plaster; and wobbly furniture that looks as though it would break if used. Eastman’s subjective use of color and structure results in a portrait of quintessential Havana.
Isabella’s Two Chairs, 2000 ©Michael Eastman/Courtesy of Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York
In contrast, works made in Rome, Paris, and Milan are like time-capsules of information which signal the grandeur of European culture. Unlike the Cuban photographs, Eastman utilizes a soft and sensual palette that focuses on classicism and permanence of the architectural spaces. These compositions feature rich materials, trompe-l’oeil paintings, long hallways, and plush, perfectly maintained rococo furnishings, highlighting the timelessness, prominence, and wealth of these cultures.
Eastman’s photographic career began in the late 1960’s, when black & white photography was almost exclusively used in fine art photography. His style was greatly influenced by The Daybooks of Edward Weston and practicing Ansel Adams’ zone system. Self-taught and intrigued by surface, patina, and geometric precision, Eastman’s formative photographs were black and white pictures of abstract patterns he sought out within complex urban environments. But by 1982, once Eastman saw the pioneering color photography of William Eggleston and Stephen Shore, he began to use a large format camera and color film, exploring a new realm of expression in color.
Info + illus. courtesy Edwynn Houk Gallery
