ON THE BEACH

Perfect for this time of year, I recently came across the book On the Beach.  It is an amazing collection of photographs by Richard Misrach. 

While at first glance I was immediately enthralled by the beauty of each image, of the crystal clear water, and of the tranquility of each picture, his intent with this collection was not quite so superficial.    The events of 9/11 moved him to explore the vulnerability of people, juxtaposed here with a vast open ocean.   Feelings of solitude accompany the visual beauty of each of these.

After reading this interview with the artist, I was so intrigued that each of these very different photographs was taken from the exact same spot on his balcony in Hawaii.

      

Despite his purpose in suggesting fragility, it would be divine to be one of these ladies floating your afternoon away. Cute hat by the way (clearly I’m not a serious art critic with that comment!).

I adore the color of water.

The colors and the textures of the sand are so eye catching.

Makes me think of Slim Aarons. 

Most of these works are very large- about 6’ x 10’.  Makes a beautiful image even more spectacular.  I love how simple and pristine these are and wish I could find an image of one of these in an interior setting (other than a gallery).  

For those of you who love photography, this book is a stunner.  At  16” x 20” it’s much larger than your typical art/coffee table book.  The large size makes it all the more enticing and lets you see the detail of each work so well.   If you can’t make it to the beach this summer, this book is surely a visual vacation.