A major exhibition of famed French photographer Jean-François Rauzier’s new Hyperphotos and Portraits will open on May 28th at the prestigious Waterhouse & Dodd’s Upper East Side gallery in Manhattan. Rauzier’s photographs will be hung in both of the gallery’s New York locations, at 958 Madison Avenue and 15 East 76th Street. The majority of the new works depict fantastical cityscapes based on New York’s own skyline, with images that capture the distinctive character embodied in different sections of the city, including the Lower East Side, Upper West Side and SoHo. There will also be works of Paris, Barcelona and Istanbul.
In addition to the ‘hyperphotos,’ there will be light box installations of his new portrait series. These present a twist on well-known painted portraits from the Renaissance by presenting on different planes both a representation of the original portrait as well as its digital code.
“Rauzier is our biggest selling artist and is a star of the art world. We’ve sold over $3m of his Hyperphotos in the last four years to clients from Florida to Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong, and his new series of New York is just spectacular. And for the first time we are showing his new conceptual series of Portraits.” said Ray Waterhouse, principal of Waterhouse & Dodd, “I’m really excited about this show.”
According to Jean-François Rauzier his ‘hyperphotos’ strive to capture, “the panorama and the macro view all at once, to stop time and to have the possibility of viewing all the details of a static image.”
Rauzier’s ‘hyperphotos’ transform reality; they fascinate us with their scale, and take the viewer on a journey through the visible world. Rauzier uses thousands of high-resolution close-ups views and stitches them into his large compositions, maintaining the focus and sharpness of the smallest detail. Rauzier carefully composes each ‘hyperphoto’ from elements and images he has collected over many years, working in some ways more like a painter than a photographer, creating his own supernatural man-made world. Using digital technology, he cuts, moves and constructs buildings, gardens, animals, and many other objects. Carefully collected during long photographic sessions to inspire a new surreal M.C. Escher-esque interior, an immense cacophonic cityscape, or a fantastic infinite garden. He strives to transform the world according to his dreams, wishes and anxieties, and to recreate the magic and secrecy of ancient legends and stories using 21st century media.
Of course, none of his mastery of technology would be worthy unless it was combined with a true artistic vision. Rauzier also possesses a deep knowledge of literature, art history and history, and utilizes all these with his unique wit and humor.
Rauzier’s photographs have been acquired by museums, art institutions and corporations around the globe, including France, Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, America, Hong Kong, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Russia and Taiwan.
The artist himself will travel from his native Paris to be present for the Opening Preview and will be available to meet clients by appointment on May 28th.
Jean-François Rauzier. New Hyperphotos and Portraits will be at Waterhouse & Dodd Gallery, New York from 28 May - 28 June 2014. For more information about the exhibition visit www.waterhousedodd.com/exhibitions/rauzier_show_2014