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Bruce Barnbaum and Pavel Banka
From August 30th to October 16th, Benham Gallery is privileged
to feature works by Bruce Barnbaum and Pavel Banka.
Two internationally renowned photographers, Bruce Barnbaum and Pavel Banka:
their work is a striking contrast of style and subject matter that adds a
rich and diverse tone to this exhibition. A stunning collection of Bruce's
timeless Southwest landscapes is nicely complemented by Pavel's surreal
domestic scenes. Despite their uniqueness, both artists share a common
vision that reconfigures traditional notions of time, space and existence.
A long-time resident artist of the gallery and a perennial local favorite
based in Granite Falls, WA, Bruce Barnbaum unveils his third Benham
exhibition, comprising his most riveting and original work to date. One of
the highlights of the show is the "slit canyons" wall - a haunting and
lyrical composition of light, form and motion, resonating with emotion.
This sumptuous array of photographs, shrouded in a poetic mystery, urges
the viewer to unlock the many secrets lurking beneath the faŁade. Bruce's
background in math and physics is clearly evident as each image flows into
the other in a continuous series of unbroken lines and shapes, like lucid
elaborations of complex equations. The result is intriguing and often
recalls to mind the tumultuous and dynamic forces of the universe, where
space and dimension stretch the limits of the human imagination.
Co-exhibiting in this show is a talented Czech photographer residing in
Prague, Pavel Banka, who was introduced to Marita Holdaway, owner of
Benham, at Fotofest in Houston. He began his career in 1976, expanding on
the ideas of Czech master photographer, Frantisek Drtikol, injecting
surreal qualities into everyday scenes while maintaining formality and
simplicity. His work evokes a subtle sense of eroticism and involvement.
While most of his photography is extremely varied in scope, Pavel weaves a
systematic flowing of events, unencumbered by time, into his disparate
images. He focuses on reality as a fluid process, rather than a linear
sequence. The play of light and reflection in his work seem to open a
meaningful dialogue with the viewer. Pavel's images are in permanent
collections worldwide, including the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany; Musee
de l'Elysee, Lausanne, Switzerland; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; and
the George Eastman House, Rochester, NY.
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