News From Laurence Miller Gallery about ART MIAMI

(Left to right) Jessica Backhaus and Ray K. Metzker One of the things I like about art fairs is that they provide an opportunity to experiment, to try new combinations, to show works previously unseen. Art Miami will be no exception. In pursuing this spirit of exploration, it is not often that one can put together a relative newcomer next to an established master and create a dialogue, a synergy that leaves both artists looking better. Such is the case with Jessica Backhaus, 39, and Ray K. Metzker, 79. Jessica Backhaus since 2009 has directed her camera at the waters of Venice and Burano. Intensely observing the water rippling and splashing in the canals, she captured moments of pure lyricism. Highly abstract, richly colored, her photographs make you forget that you are actually looking at water taken in a fraction of a second. They are instants that can only be captured by a camera, yet as abstract as a painting. Ray K. Metzker, with traditional black and white film, directed his focus at the ponds and canals in southern France and across the US between 1989 and 1995. Often shooting through tree branches and brush, these intricately conceived pictures gently pull the viewer into the deep space of the forest and hold your attention while you explore all the subtle nuances of the natural surroundings, including the reflective surface of the water. Bold color next to black and white....this time it works, as both artists treat us to images we would never see through our own eyes. Flat space, deep space, timeless and instantaneous, this is what great photography can do. I hope you will stop by our stand and see for yourself. We will also present two large scale works by Stephane Couturier, from his Melting Point series, and "Prada, Marfa, Texas" by Burk Uzzle. Laurence Miller