Lewis Baltz was an American photographer and a key figure in the New Topographics movement. He was born on September 12, 1945, in Newport Beach, California, and passed away on November 22, 2014, in Paris, France. Baltz is renowned for his minimalist and highly detailed black-and-white photographs that explored the impact of human intervention on the urban landscape. His work focused on industrial sites, suburban developments, and the built environment, capturing the often stark and anonymous nature of these spaces. In the 1970s, Baltz gained recognition as part of the influential exhibition """"New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape"""" held at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. The exhibition, along with the accompanying catalog, marked a significant shift in the approach to landscape photography, emphasizing the banality and human-altered aspects of the environment. Baltz's photographs often depicted mundane and overlooked subjects, such as industrial buildings, parking lots, and tract houses. He utilized a cool and detached documentary style, employing straight-on perspectives, precise compositions, and formalist aesthetics. His images were devoid of human presence, emphasizing the impact of human activity on the environment. Throughout his career, Baltz produced numerous series of work, including """"The Tract Houses,"""" """"Park City,"""" and """"Candlestick Point."""" His photographs were characterized by their critical examination of the rapid urban development, suburban sprawl, and the effects of capitalism and consumerism on the landscape. In addition to his photographic practice, Baltz was also a writer and taught photography at the California Institute of the Arts. His writings, often reflecting on the role of photography and its relationship to the contemporary world, have been compiled in books such as """"Texts"""" and """"Lewis Baltz: Common Objects.""""
Lewis Baltz's work has been exhibited internationally, and he is recognized as a significant figure in the history of contemporary photography. His photographs continue to influence and inspire photographers interested in exploring the social, economic, and environmental aspects of the built environment.
Measures 8.51 x5.76
Printed circa 1980s
Verso is blank.
Mounted to archival quality paper."""
Condition
Good condition. No rips, tears, creases.