Exhibit by Gail Erwin
April 1 – May 9, 2026
Reception – Saturday April 11, 5-7 pm
Statement
Martin Puryear describes the arc of his career as a “spiral in which interests, materials, and forms endure but are regularly reimagined and transformed at different points in time.”
This show comprises four distinct sections:
Quartets
Quartets consist of four cyanotype images framed together, creating a conversation between their elements. They interact harmoniously, akin to musical compositions. Nature and landscape serve as reference points. Plants from the high desert, trees, maps, ink drawings, and butterfly images contribute to the overall collage. These cyanotypes were originally created in 2007, and the luminous gold paint was added in 2026, transforming the blue of the cyanotype and introducing a new level of interest.
Crowds
The photographs that form the basis of these images were taken at a museum in Amsterdam. The crowd assembled in the large atrium, with its shifting and gathering in lines, created intriguing patterns, especially when viewed from above. These photographs were printed in cyanotype ten years ago and have been awaiting further inspiration. The gold paint was added in 2026, emphasizing the patterns.
L’Eau
These comprise handmade paper mats framing similar images from the Quartet series. To create the image, a baggie of water was placed on the coated cyanotype paper and exposed to sunlight. Gold paint was added to both the print and the handmade paper mat as a “french line” around the opening. The two elements, handmade paper and cyanotypes, were waiting in studio files to find each other.
Fragments of Time
This series commenced with a painting employing a limited palette and abstract gestures that reference landscape. Cyanotypes were collaged onto the paintings. The collaged elements originate from ancient buildings and ruins photographed during trips to Italy and France. One recurring theme focuses on arches and columns. Once again, gold paint has been added to enhance or elevate the images. Gilding is a technique that has been used in paintings over the years to emphasize wealth or godliness.
Notes on the Process
Cyanotype is a nineteenth century non-darkroom photographic process. A digital negative is created. Images are contact printed onto paper. The surface is coated, exposed to UV light (either in the sun or an exposure unit), developed in water, fixed and rinsed. The process originated in the 1830’s and has been used for architectural blue prints. In the last several years, the process has been reclaimed as an art medium.
