In Between Places was the title of Uta Barth's initial survey exhibition, now two decades past. Since then her international reputation has grown amongst contemporary curators and specialist collectors. Conceptually rigorous, her work questions the complexity and preconceptions attached to visual perception in a contemporary context. The intimately scaled Field #9 depicts a winter landscape, blurred out off focus yet providing enough information to suggest a traditional perspectival horizon. Countering this, two spherical flares (lens artifice) are centrally poised over the left half of the composition. These serve as a barrier between states, reminding us the camera in this situation assumes its mediatory role for every possibility of artistic purpose, intention, or objective. It ensures distance between momentary events and their photographic imprint. Frequently used in cinema to convey disconnection or unease, the artist has distilled these without recourse to implied motivation or narrative. Being of German origin, it's not unreasonable to suggest she invites subtle (deconstructive) reference to the idealism and cultural impact of the Northern Romantic painters. Auction estimate (US $3,000 - $5,000)
Price realised at Auction: US $3,276