Michael Eastman "Interiors"

Barry Friedman Ltd.

poster for Michael Eastman "Interiors"

This event has ended.

Michael Eastman's first exhibition at Barry Friedman Ltd. will debut his new series of historical interiors, "Italy." Also on view will be photographs from his three previous series "Cuba," "Vanishing America," and "Urban Luminosity," each encompassing themes of architecture, historical preservation, seclusion, and monumentality.

Shot primarily in Milan and Venice, Michael Eastman¹s series "Italy" depictsgrand interiors retaining their original Italian Renaissance decorative motifs. These homes have been virtually untouched for generations and maintain a haunting atmosphere of neglect and decay while serving as reliquaries of past generations. The interiors recall the grandeur of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, and the haunting feeling of abandonment is offset by the rich saturated tones and painterly quality of the work.

In Eastman¹s "Cuba" series, the interiors have a similar atmosphere of neglect and decay, while maintaining the vibrant and bold tones of the Caribbean islands. The works mimic the historical past of the islands, and the fading wall paint resembles the Roman frescoes of Pompeii. The wall moldings are in disrepair and reveal the brick infrastructure beneath, and repeating architectural elements create a sense of infinity within the frame.

"Urban Luminosity" exemplifies architectonic alchemy. Reflections on
metallic brick walls, warped perspectives on a storefront window, and dramatic façade lighting encourages us to examine our relationship with our man-made environs. The union between common elements of the city and their sensuous surfaces, lights, and colors combine to create a world both recognizable and removed.

"Vanishing America" is a haunting portrait of small-town America and through its depiction of homes in disrepair, streets emptied of pedestrians, and businesses devoid of customers, it allows for a visual depiction of the simplicity and eerie calm permeating these small town portraits.

[Image: Michael Eastman "Mirror Grid, Milan" (2008) C-Print]

Media

Schedule

from May 07, 2009 to June 30, 2009

Opening Reception on 2009-05-07 from 17:30 to 20:00

Artist(s)

Michael Eastman

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