Eric Cahan INDIGO SUN/SON
ONLINE EXHIBITION: MAY 10- JULY 9 2021
Benrubi Gallery is pleased to present "Indigo Sun/Son" a new body of work by Eric Cahan. In the very early moments of the pandemic, Cahan set out for Mexico. His intention like so many of us was to wait out what he imagined would be a few months. Little did he know that that few months would become a year, and that year would extend into a potential new way of life. He spent much of these early days in the state of Oaxaca. Cahan, a NY native was deeply affected by his new environment: the local fauna, the abundant landscape as well as the folklore of the region. As he scratched the surface he found his way to the story of Maria Sabina, the first contemporary Mexican curandera. There is a deep mystical tradition accompanying her and her community in San José del Pacífico and this new body of work is a study in Cahan's own inner journey as he was welcomed to live alongside this community. It is a journey into the depths of a supported, rich, and ancient method of examining one's own mind through plant medicines in the context of a place where such exploration is a sacred ritual. Cahan's reverence for this is seen in his marriage of the micro and macro views of a land he has come to love and call home. The most intimate moments juxtaposed with the uncompromised largesse and beauty of this landscape.
His palette is a reflection not only of his inner musings but the constant consideration of the pain and anxiety of the collective during this time. This blue haze washes over his purview as a birthing occurs out of deep reflection and inner work. Cahan dedicates this body of work to the community that has embraced him with open arms.
Eric Cahan was born and raised in Manhattan. He studied at The University of Southern California and New York University, where he graduated from The Tisch School of the Arts' Film Program. He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
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Eric Cahan’s photographs are defined by several focal points, among them: light, specifically the light generated by the sun at sunrise and sunset; science; nature; and the ephemeral quality of memories. These considerations are in play when Cahan heads out at a carefully chosen hour of the morning or evening to begin creating one of his ethereal works of art, which have been described by critics as “beguiling,” “expansive,” and “simultaneously surreal and hyper-real.”
Influenced by both the Impressionists’ depiction of natural light and its ever-changing qualities, as well as Color Theory, Cahan creates his minimalist yet vibrant images by holding colored resin filters in front of the camera. “A lot of people ask me if this is all done in Photoshop,” Cahan has said. “In fact, I will only tone photos to match the paper type and, in some cases, add a bit of color curves.”
Cahan made most of the work for his recent project, Sky Series, during his extensive travels. Each photograph and sculpture is titled with the time and location of its conception. In this way, Cahan catalogues his visual journal and his viewers see in his work his unique interpretation of a specific time and place. His polyester resin sculptures, made from the same surface material as surfboards and sailboards, can be considered three-dimensional interpretations of his photographs. Similarly meant to capture and manipulate light, they conjure the sensation of looking into the sky or the ocean. “My mission is to capture light,” Cahan has said. “Light is the true subject of this series: its constant mystery, the way it shifts and colors everything around it in nature.”
Influenced by both the Impressionists’ depiction of natural light and its ever-changing qualities, as well as Color Theory, Cahan creates his minimalist yet vibrant images by holding colored resin filters in front of the camera. “A lot of people ask me if this is all done in Photoshop,” Cahan has said. “In fact, I will only tone photos to match the paper type and, in some cases, add a bit of color curves.”
Cahan made most of the work for his recent project, Sky Series, during his extensive travels. Each photograph and sculpture is titled with the time and location of its conception. In this way, Cahan catalogues his visual journal and his viewers see in his work his unique interpretation of a specific time and place. His polyester resin sculptures, made from the same surface material as surfboards and sailboards, can be considered three-dimensional interpretations of his photographs. Similarly meant to capture and manipulate light, they conjure the sensation of looking into the sky or the ocean. “My mission is to capture light,” Cahan has said. “Light is the true subject of this series: its constant mystery, the way it shifts and colors everything around it in nature.”
ERIC CAHAN
May 10 - Jul 9, 2021