The View and What Becomes is the third exhibition at the Arclight for Brad Buckman. In this exhibit he combines work from two different explorations: The adventure of carrying a camera into the world, and the later, more inward travel in studying the bits of light captured on that adventure. The pieces were created specifically for display at the Arclight. They are printed on specialty metallic paper which gives the images an amazing, luminous quality and the large prints reveal great detail and texture. The inspiration for the images comes from very personal memories from Buckman’s life: a view from a hotel window where he spent his anniversary, the hospital window where his son was born, the Twin Towers and other iconic locations that have resonated with him over the years. Even though the images are intensely personal to the photographer, it is very easy to project your own feelings and emotions, making them universal to our shared human experience.
Tell me what inspired this project, ‘The View and What Becomes’
My original dabblings with photography came when I lived in Dallas, Texas. I would occasionally steal my brother’s camera and walk around the city, watching the play of light and trying to capture an interesting picture. I didn’t know anything about photography, film, or f-stops, but I enjoyed the hunt for the unusual. I think I had a good eye for composition, at least for a novice.
Over a decade later, I took a trip to Eastern Europe, and returned with a large collection of color and black & white pictures to share with my friends. They encouraged me to seriously pursue photography, so I took a few classes and bought a nice camera. It seemed like an odd left turn, but I’d been working with visual media for years, so perhaps it was an extension of that work.
I laughed when I later realized that much of my personal photography has been a continuation of those simple beginnings in Dallas. I still like doing the same thing, shooting when I’m out and about. The difference is that, back then, I was pretty much just taking well-composed snapshots. Now, I’m looking to really create an image, to interpret what I see before me. When I was invited to exhibit at Arclight, I thought it would be interesting to assemble a variety of my interpretations into one collection.
How did your approach for this project differ from other projects you have worked on?
Photography exhibits often consist of a singular theme, with one visual style, and that’s great. This particular group of photographs is a bit different, though, in that I am often looking for the uniqueness in a given moment or subject. For example, while I’m shooting, a scene might inspire me to capture movement, or combine multiple exposures into a single image, or shift the plane of focus.
Then there’s the second half of creation, and that’s while I am processing the image and preparing to make the final print. For me, this is often an entirely new adventure. As I look through the proofs, a picture that I’ve never considered will suddenly stand out, and I’ll recognize some potential. As I dig into the image, and push it around a bit, something organic emerges that is entirely unique to that image.
For example, I came across a picture I shot in Paris, a scattering of people under the Eiffel Tower. While processing, the concrete took on the appearance of snow, and some of the figures became distressed, and I loved it. In other pictures, a pile of tires takes on a cubist appearance, and a street sign stands in unnatural focus. You have to see the pictures to understand what I’m talking about, and, like all art, it’s best to see the work in person. The prints are large to show the texture and detail, and the metallic paper has a wonderful, luminous quality.
I like the personal nature of these pictures, and what each means to me. Included are views from a helicopter while traveling back to my future wife; hotel windows on two wedding anniversaries; the hospital window where my son was born; and the Eiffel Tower, the Twin Towers, and other iconic locations that have resonated with me over the years.
What challenges did you come across (if any) while working on this project?
Hmmnnn, how long is your column? I received the invitation to exhibit over the Christmas holidays, so I knew I’d have under three months to pull this exhibit together. My primary concern was that I knew my wife Rachel and I would have a new baby by the end of January, and I certainly wanted to be available for my family before and after the delivery. I work as a commercial photographer and spend most days in my Hollywood studio, so a big challenge was balancing work, family and the show. On Wednesday, January 26, I dashed from an afternoon portrait session to the hospital for our baby’s delivery that night (it’s a girl!), and continued to work on the show on my laptop at the hospital.
Don Weinstein offered to support my show as a sponsor, but his lab Graytone was in the process of being acquired by Richard Photo Lab (RPL). We had started some early tests and experiments, then had to wait until the dust settled to begin printing again. Brian Greenberg at RPL graciously agreed to continue the sponsorship, and Don and I decided to print the entire exhibit on this wonderful Kodak metallic paper on the Lightjet. With deadlines looming, we made two test prints, then ran the entire show. Rolled prints went directly to Finishing Concepts (also a sponsor) for mounting. The next day, mounted prints went to Hollywood Studio Gallery for framing, and two days later to Arclight Hollywood for installation of the show.
The other big challenge we all face is producing and promoting the exhibit while you need to be creating the work. I had some ideas going in about what I wanted to present, and that continued to evolve as I dealt with everything from shopping for sponsors, to coordinating printing, mounting, framing, installation, promotion, invitations, and the reception.
How did the opportunity to have your work exhibited at the Arclight come about?
For those who don’t know, Arclight Hollywood is an upscale entertainment complex with a number of movie theaters, two bars, a restaurant and a gift shop. I used to go to the Arclight all the time (before I had kids) to meet friends for a drink and a movie. They always had photography work on display, so I contacted them about exhibiting in the future. After we met, they put me on the schedule and I had my first solo exhibition. I had another show there the following year.
Robert Brugeman, curator for Arclight, saw some of my new work last year and suggested we do another show. I’m excited that we could have the work up in April, and are presenting the work in association with the Month of Photography Los Angeles (MOPLA). Arclight receives a tremendous number of visitors—150,000 people over the 6-week run of the exhibit—and it’s wonderful to stand in the gallery and see people take their time and study the pictures. I prepared these prints specifically for display at Arclight Hollywood, and hope everyone gets a chance to stop by and take a look.
Exhibition Sponsors: Richard Photo Lab & Finishing Concepts
Brad is an award-winning portrait, architectural and fine art photographer, living in Los Angeles with his wife and two young children. To learn more, go to http://buckmaneditions.com.
In association with the Month of Photography Los Angeles (MOPLA), Arclight presents photographer Brad Buckman’s The View and What Becomes.
Brad Buckman: The View and What Becomes
Arclight Hollywood 6360 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Admission: Free
Artist reception: Thursday, April 7, 2011, 6:30 – 9:30pm
Exhibit: March 24, 2011, – May 17, 2011
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