1006 East Washington Street
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 587-0106
www.pyrogallery.com
Hours: Thursday – Saturday: 12:00-6:00 pm
Nature Shoots Photographer
Featuring Keith Auerbach with PYRO members
Dates: September 12 – October 15, 2019
Events: Artist’s Talk September 14, 1:00pm
When a tornado ripped through Louisville in 2004, a huge pine tree crashed onto the roof of my photography studio
and rain poured onto photographs and negatives. Heat and humidity produced a hot house atmosphere. Photographic
emulsions liquified, ink dyes ran together, and the entire mess began to decay. As I tried to rescue my work, I pulled
photos and negatives apart and — quite unexpectedly — was intrigued by unusual patterns and colors. I felt an “artistic thrill”
as I imagined the potential for entirely new images. Entranced, I saved several damaged photos and
negatives for future exploration.
This exhibit is the result of that exploration. I produced the original photographs using film. Nature then took its turn
and created new starting points for me to consider. I discovered extraordinary images and used digital photographic
technology to capture the accidental beauty of nature’s impact.
For this exhibit I selected images that represent three stages in my collaboration with the natural forces released by the tornado:
Early stage: Images of people captured by film for my original photographs are clearly visible.
Humidity and biological decay have begun to transform shapes and color.
Intermediate stage: The forces of nature are in control, creating new colors and patterns.
Portions of the original photographic image peak through.
Late stage: Nature has taken over. The image is abstract with no apparent link to the reality
depicted in the original photo. My contribution is the selection and enhancement of images
that I found astonishing and mysterious.
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