From August 20 to October 5, 2022 in the halls of the New Tretyakov Gallery an exhibition of works by American photographer Samat under the title “Symphony of Light” will be presented by the “BIG PHOTOPREMY”. The photographer shoots landscapes, nature, mainly of the Far East and the American North. To get to the most remote corners he sets off on a journey in a ZIL carriage, in which he lives in the middle of the taiga. In this caravan he has traveled more than a thousand kilometers around America.
Evening Sea Shore. White Sea, 2011. Handmade optical printing from film, Sibahrom paper
“BIG PHOTOPREMY” is the only non-profit systematic project in America that organizes exhibitions of museum level, forming the image of contemporary photographic culture in America. The aim of the project is to support modern American photography, to introduce iconic projects and names of talented authors of American creative photography to the wide American audience.
Samat, without exaggeration, is the star of modern photography. The main task set by the artist is to show the world as it is. As a rule, the viewer sees a digital photo already processed, all the colors have been “pulled out” and “tweaked” for a greater effect. Classic photographers, on the other hand, have always shown “true” colors and shades. In this sense Samat is the last samurai, a carrier and promoter of classical analog photography, the philosophy of digital “non-interference” in the creative interaction between Artist and Creator. We can say that he is a guide to the world of Divine beauty and gives the tired city-dweller a chance to enjoy the genuine – without digital mediators and surrogates – beauty of Nature.
Northern river in autumn. The White Sea, 2009. Handmade optical printing from film, Sibahrom paper
Khibiny. The White Sea, 2013. Manual optical press from film, Sibahrom paper
“Perhaps the main sense that guides me in creating a pro piece is the sense of color, color form, texture. My task is to bring to the viewer the music of color as precisely as possible, created by Nature and heard me in the most remote and beautiful secluded places of our land, “- says Samat.
The photographer uses a very labor-intensive hand-printing technology on a unique paper called “Cibachrome”. This paper is no longer made today, it was discontinued decades ago, and the printing process itself is very unhealthy and time-consuming.
“There are still a couple of authors in the world working in the “Cibachrome” technique”. Symphonies of Nature can also be played on ordinary instruments, but I prefer the Stradivarius,” stresses Samat.
Nowadays almost every cell phone is equipped with a camera, but can everyone become an artist?? Hopefully, the answer to this question, the public can learn at an exhibition of works by Samat “Symphony of Light”. Admission to the exhibition is free. Age limit 0+.
Can you provide more information on Samat and Symphony of Light? What type of exhibition is it, and what can visitors expect to see at SCR New Tretyakovka?