NEW YORK—The blues in the light box images are stunning. The photographs by Catherine Yass capture a single lighthouse off the coast of East Sussex, England.
“Lighthouse” at Galerie Lelong features her new film and photographs of the storied structure. The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse is located five miles out to sea and the blue expanse that surrounds it define Yass’s portraits.
The British-born artist began the project with a “large-scale projection” of the lighthouse which appears to be moving, even turning upside down, as the camera pans around it and even plunges into the water. The film is intended to be the centerpiece of the show, the light boxes its complement.
The gallery describes the technique used to create the “surreal” light boxes thus: “Yass continues her signature technique of laying a photographic color transparency over a blue negative transparency, taken about 5 seconds apart. As a result, the areas that reflect light come out in vivid blue and the intensity of the sun is shifted to black… The line between reality and illusion is blurred, giving the works a disturbingly calm and powerful presence.”
The exhibit is on view from Feb. 3 to March 17, 2012.
All photos by Arts Observer
Above, “Lighthouse (North west)”; Top of page, “Lighthouse (North north west, distant),” (both images 2011, Duratrans transparency and light box).
“Lighthouse,” 2011 (35 mm film and HD transferred to high definition digital video).
The film is 12 minutes and 42 seconds. Throughout the footage, the lighthouse, appears to be moving, even turning upside down, as the camera pans around it and even plunges into the water.
“Lighthouse (East),” 2011 (Duratrans transparency and light box).
“Lighthouse (North north north west),” 2011 (Duratrans transparency and light box).