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September 22, 2008
Larry Orinovsky, Abstract Photographer
Green and Yellow Texture, Larry Orinovsky
Back in college, my friend Brian took a photography class. Unfortunately, he and the instructor did not share the same concept of what the term 'photography' meant. The professor thought of it as pretty pictures of people and places, and Brian thought of it as something more, well, less specific. I thought Brian's photos were lovely and very creative. His professor disagreed. Brian's final grade was probably one of the worst Brian had during his time at USC, and it was not due to a lack of effort.
In my many years since college, I have come to realize that most people do not like vague. They are threatened by endings that are ambiguous. They are tormented by a lack of resolution. They loathe the abstract. Most people would rather look at pretty pictures than study something that they cannot quite make out, appreciating other aspects of the piece besides the blatent representation of the subject. Color, shape, texture, contrast and composition are just a few other elements that make up visual works of art, but many people seem absolutely unable to consider them unless they take place in the context of a picture of something, something specific.
For the minority of folks out there that can take a leap of faith and enjoy pictures that do not try to speak a thousand words, I would like to introduce you to the works of our dear friend Larry Orinovsky. You have heard about him in many of my previous entries because he and his partner Joseph were absolutely crucial to our relocation in Guadalajara, and they still figure enormously in the continuing Mexican experience. Each one of them merits his own entry with the sole purpose of being showered with praise as fun, smart, all-around fantastic people, but today I write to talk to you about Larry's photographs - abstract photographs.
If you are one of those faint-of-heart people that do not consider works by the likes of Arshile Gorky or Elizabeth Murray to be "real art," perhaps you had best turn back now. This is your last warning.
Vertical Blinds, Larry Orinovsky
Larry got a new single-lens reflex camera last year, a digital one. Since then he has been taking a lot of photographs, some your standard subject-verb-object kind of photos, but also a lot of photographs with completely indeterminate visual subjects. He did some research online trying to find others that were taking abstract photographs and was surprised to find that there are hardly any. Sure, a lot of people claim to be doing abstract photography, but extreme close-ups do not count in my book. Larry shoots photos that are truly abstract, and no he doesn't manipulate the form of the images in Photoshop. All the abstraction is somehow done in-camera.
Yes, I must admit that I'm dying to know how he does it. I suspect that he might tell me if I asked, but I am afraid to ruin the mystery. I love to simply look at his photographs and lose myself in the emotions that they evoke. Something that has always interested me in Larry's work (he also paints) is his diversity. He may have a series of things that have the same style, but he is always experimenting with new things. Some of his works are like geometric patterns, while others are like satellite photos of Jupiter's moons.
Cavern, Larry Orinovsky
Larry now has a web site where one can view several of his abstract pieces alongside some more "normal" works. Just check out ABSTRACCIONES By Larry Orinovsky. Larry loves feedback too, and he would very much like to hear what you think of his photographs. If you would like to send him an email with your comments, his address is right there on his home page.
I am clearly not the only one to admire his work. Since he started making his photographs available for sale, he has been busy trying to keep up with the demand for prints. Just recently, several mural-sized pieces sold that were on display at a local lounge; all of them were snapped up within just a few weeks.
Maybe Brian should give it another go.
Posted by crispy at September 22, 2008 12:13 PM
Comments
loverly
Posted by: Akira at September 23, 2008 12:38 PM
Heh. Thanks to the first comment, I now have Safe European Home going through my head.
In other news, despite not knowing the names of the two artists mentioned, and my general thinking that abstract art in all forms blows, I must say these pictures suit my palate of sorts.
{crispy says: I commented off-blog that I'd have a reader that would protest about not liking abstract art, but that this specific reader has a much broader appreciation of art than he thinks. I am glad you like it.]
Posted by: Mark Allen at September 23, 2008 10:50 PM
You exist off-blog?!?!?!?
Posted by: Mark Allen at September 24, 2008 08:51 PM
Oh, wait. I thought the header was abstract pornographer.
[crispy says: GASP! What an awesome idea.]
Posted by: Mark Allen at September 24, 2008 10:11 PM