Ecosystems by Cole Barash
Cole Barash
Ecosystems
June 10 — July 15, 2024
Prairie Gallery is pleased to present Ecosystems, a solo exhibition featuring mixed media works by visual artist Cole Barash. Developed during his residency at Prairie in Fall 2023, Barash describes the work as “a bit of an ecosystem of ideas, thoughts, emotions, images, and projects.” The exhibition interweaves photographs from multiple strands of Barash’s ongoing series, each exploring profound themes of human experience and interaction with the natural world.
The first series, When the Wind Blows North, re-traces the footsteps of some of Barash’s personal journeys and explorations in the wilderness, as well as reflections on previous trips with his father, connecting the present with memories of the past. This series includes five black-and-white images printed with UV ink on repurposed tent fabric. Additionally, two digital prints from this series are displayed, characterized by a soft and meditative yet arresting palette of orange and gold tones contrasted with sharp black-and-white contours. This body of work will be part of a forthcoming book in 2025 with TBW/Deadbeat Club.
The second series, Ecosystems, examines the complex relationship humans have with water—how we navigate, interact with, consume, protect, and sometimes damage this vital and ever-changing element. Barash includes both color and black-and-white digital prints on paper and rice paper, showcasing the fluidity and vulnerability of water. This work will be part of a forthcoming book this year titled "Kayaker."
Barash’s use of materials extends his traditional photographic work, emphasizing the importance of substrates. He employs mixed materials such as burlap and fiberglass caning, pairing delicate organic or floral motifs with rough, unrefined surfaces. This method allows Barash to “break the boundaries of the traditional installed photograph,” pushing beyond typical rectilinear print ratios and the limits of two-dimensionality. By using surfaces like tent fabric, burlap (connected to his mother's landscaping work), and fiberglass (associated with his lifelong connection to the sea), Barash commits imagery to everyday materials, enhancing the thematic depth of his work.
These pieces explore themes such as family, the natural world, and human existence, posing questions about our interaction with the landscape and the societal pressures of providing for a family. Barash investigates relationships between humans and our fragile planet, or, as he puts it, “the landscape and how we exist on it.” His work reflects on interconnectedness, happiness, societal disconnection, perseverance, and labor. Through Ecosystems, Barash offers a contemplative examination of life and our impact on the natural world, encouraging viewers to consider their own place within these ecosystems.
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