Pine & Woods have been collaborating on this body of work for eight years. Inspired by Bernd and Hilla Becher, they have rigorously focused on collecting anonymous snapshots with particular themes in order to compose portraits of American culture.
D3Projects at Bergamot Station, CA, is proud to present The American Typologies by Pine & Woods, who are photo-based artists currently living and working in the Santa Barbara area. While each artist has been active individually for over twenty years, they have, for the better part of a decade, collaborated on The American Typologies, composed of found photographs. Their work is held in private, corporate and museum collections including the J. Paul Getty Museum.
The size and content of each Typology varies and is largely based on Middle America at mid 20th century. The pieces are thematic and structured in a typological order. The works range in size from 36” x 36” to 72” x 72” and can consist of 9 to 36 images. The creative process requires countless hours of prospecting in outdoor flea markets for the raw material, followed by further time in the studio to shape and focus the guiding idea of each work. The artists pull from thousands of snapshots to create each composition.
Inspired by Bernd and Hilla Becher and the long tradition of typological representation, Pine and Woods have focused on rigorously arranging anonymous snapshots to form works that address various aspects of American culture. Just as the Becher partnership photographed industrial structures slated for obsolescence, Pine & Woods are conscious of the disappearance of snapshots especially in the face of digital image making.
The work of August Sander is also an influence. Where Sander left off in Germany in the 1930's on his ambitious social-documentary project that he titled People of the Twentieth Century, Pine and Woods pick it up on the American front. Sander prolifically photographed ordinary people and created a series of archetypal groups. Pine & Woods use found photographs to comment on comparable American cultural realities.
Pine & Woods are actively, exploring history and memory. They rely not on the words of historians but on the people that had cameras who came before them. Their goal is to observe, translate and interpret our culture. They move forward by looking back.
The size and content of each Typology varies and is largely based on Middle America at mid 20th century. The pieces are thematic and structured in a typological order. The works range in size from 36” x 36” to 72” x 72” and can consist of 9 to 36 images. The creative process requires countless hours of prospecting in outdoor flea markets for the raw material, followed by further time in the studio to shape and focus the guiding idea of each work. The artists pull from thousands of snapshots to create each composition.
Inspired by Bernd and Hilla Becher and the long tradition of typological representation, Pine and Woods have focused on rigorously arranging anonymous snapshots to form works that address various aspects of American culture. Just as the Becher partnership photographed industrial structures slated for obsolescence, Pine & Woods are conscious of the disappearance of snapshots especially in the face of digital image making.
The work of August Sander is also an influence. Where Sander left off in Germany in the 1930's on his ambitious social-documentary project that he titled People of the Twentieth Century, Pine and Woods pick it up on the American front. Sander prolifically photographed ordinary people and created a series of archetypal groups. Pine & Woods use found photographs to comment on comparable American cultural realities.
Pine & Woods are actively, exploring history and memory. They rely not on the words of historians but on the people that had cameras who came before them. Their goal is to observe, translate and interpret our culture. They move forward by looking back.
D3projects opened in June 2007 to bring an interactive and friendly art environment to the general public and art aficionados. Our aim is to share a passion for art and become an artistic forum based on a participative spirit. Any proceeds resulting from our activity are used for activities bringing together artists, general public, collectors and dealers, or donated to charities.