Richard Misrach: On the Beach

Richard Misrach documented cargo ships in the San Francisco Bay during a critical moment for the global shipping industry. Made in the light of early morning or late afternoon, Misrach’s images suggest a comparison to J.M.W Turner’s atmospheric maritime paintings, and recall the careful observation of the sky and water in Misrach’s own “Golden Gate Bridge” series.

An ongoing series exploring the abstracted pattern of an edgeless ocean surface, and the gestures and expressions of bathers adrift in the water.

This latest installation in Misrach’s ongoing Desert Cantos series explores the entire length of the US/Mexico border, in photographs made with a large-format camera as well as images captured with an iPhone.

Photographed over several years from an unchanging vantage point, the series offers a meditation on the light, color, and atmosphere which transcend a fixed and familiar view.