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About the Artist: British artist Richard Learoyd (b. 1966) has actually garnered a reputation for his commitment to analog photography and avoiding any digital technology– or perhaps editing negatives directly. Learoyd instead utilizes a room-size cam obscura that he built himself, based upon the negative/positive process developed by W. H. Fox Talbot in the mid-19th century. Despite the plus size of the video camera, it is portable, and Learoyd had actually taken it worldwide to catch a diverse range of landscapes– with negatives determining up to 80 inches large, some of the biggest gelatin-silver prints ever made. The process he utilizes does not consist of a negative, rather the light is focused straight onto photographic paper, resulting in an image entirely without grain. Art history and art-historical designs are a significant point of departure for the artist, and much of his work engages with conventional genres like still lifes, nudes, and landscapes.
What You Required to Know: Through December 23, 2022, Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco is presenting a solo exhibit of Learoyd’s current work, the artist’s 5th solo show with the gallery. Consisted of approximately 20 photos all used the artist’s exclusive large-format camera, the exhibition features nudes, still lifes, and portraits made over the previous 3 years. The images’ classic themes integrated with Learoyd’s precise procedures offer this exhibit of modern photography a clearly old-world air.
Why We Like It: Learoyd’s work is truly emblematic of the origins of the word “photography,” stemmed from Greek and significance “drawing with light.” By leaving out the use of an unfavorable in his procedure, the medium is solely light on paper. The resulting lack of grain coupled with his usage of standard themes like still lifes of flowers evoke the paintings of Dutch Golden era artists, or nudes that conjure 19th-century designs. In many of Learoyd’s works, consisting of several in today exhibit, he applies threads, either throughout the image or as an armature for the items within. These compositional interventions act as both a reminder of the contemporary nature of the works, as well as mention conceptual themes, such as the boundary in between realism and abstraction.
See featured artworks listed below.
Richard Learoyd, Found No. 1 (2022 ). © Richard Learoyd. Thanks To Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.
Richard Learoyd, Lilies, pink plinth (2021 ). © Richard Learoyd. Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.
Richard Learoyd, Illustration (2021 ). © Richard Learoyd. Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.
Richard Learoyd, Largest poppies (2022 ). Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.
Richard Learoyd, Drawing with straight lines (2021 ). Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.
“Richard Learoyd” is on view at Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, through December 23, 2022.
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