Patina Gallery is thrilled to present Meditation With Shadow, featuring the fine art photography of our own creative director, Ivan Barnett.

“Shadows give us a window on vision, and this window has been found and opened by the work of artists and practitioners over the centuries. Indeed, we view artists as fellow cognitive scientists: It is they who made many of the discoveries that contribute to our understanding of the complexity of vision”
Adapted from Roberto Casati and Patrick Cavanagh’s book The Visual World of Shadows.

In late 2020 into early 2021, Barnett started on his photographic journey, reflecting on a distinct period in the city’s history, titled Seeing the City Different. In the summer of 2022, the artist set out on his second voyage without direction, passionately capturing quiet moments of blue abstraction.

For his latest series, Barnett chronicles his journey through Patina’s hometown of Santa Fe, captured on camera from the fall and winter of 2022.

Through a series of abstract visuals, Barnett takes us on a journey through a very personal and introspective lens where the shadows of Santa Fe are preserved through each click of his camera’s shutter. We reveal the collection as Barnett recounts the story of his own journey through Santa Fe and ultimately the creation of his latest exhibition.

Growing up, I was guided by my father and artist, Isa Barnett, who had a strong adorement to raking light, revealing details that are not readily visible by one’s own eye. No matter what size or medium, a light “rakes” across the surface, changing its very form and composition.

Inspired by this remarkable technique at a young age, I began creating this next series.

Starting in late fall and winter of 2022, I began wandering around Santa Fe just before sunset, as the light echoed across the vast open landscape of the city. In the west, sunsets can range from blazing streaks across the sky to the more subtle colors as trees on the mountain ridge are silhouetted against the vivid sun. Mesmerized by the dramatic light casting long shadows over all its subjects, I find this time of day to be pure magic.

I began wandering down St. Francis Drive heading north into Santa Fe, noticing the cars swiftly moving by me. Just as I approached the train park, my eye caught a mural that suddenly captivated me. Sometimes surprises can catch us so off guard that we are rendered speechless, and that was the case last fall for me. It’s an odd feeling to see something that technically is not there but at the same time is unmistakably present.

“Shadows Do Impossible Things”
Ivan Barnett

I knew I had found the place. I began to shoot very quickly, realizing the trees in front of the mural were casting mysterious shadows in the foreground. That’s when it happened! The shadows seem to dance back and forth. As I walked closer, the mural became a tapestry of multiple layers, taking the work of art to a place beyond. The bold portrayal of vibrantly colored lines juxtaposed with the shifting shadows, engaged my eye in an entirely new way with the concept of what this mural could be.

Shadows are a place for the unexpected, a place to let the mind explore, occupying an in-between space that challenges us to make sense of our vague and shifting outlines. This moment was an artist’s dream. While I navigated along life’s trail of mysteries, nature gave me the gift of a lifetime. The stars aligned, weaving my past and my present.

For more information on the work, please email: allison@patina-gallery.com

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