Although they appear seamless, Chicago-based artist Ben Gest’s photographs are constructed from dozens, if not hundreds, of digital photographs. The resulting compositions are characterized by subtle exaggerations of space akin to Mannerist painting. In a body of work created for his 2006 Renaissance Society exhibition, Gest turned from photographing groups of people to individuals. As formal portraits taken at informal moments, the sitters are caught in fleeting but nonetheless deep bouts of introspection. More than illustrate the sitter’s psychology, these photographs capture the demeanor given to private thought as it marks the withdrawal from a public self.
18 x 24", double-sided
unfolded, shipped rolled
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