During a long weekend in Los Angeles, I spent an afternoon at the Getty. As I walked the galleries to see my usual favorites, I discovered the incredible work of American photographer Ray Metzker. The placards alongside the pieces described his lifelong exploration of the medium, in form and in technique.
In his "Composites" series, he assembles dozens of tiny serial images to produce one work, some fairly abstract and graphic. Only when you stick your face a few inches from the print do you discover that they are tiny, tiny photographs, each holding its own wonder and mystery. Of these, I'd want to steal Parking Pavilion (1967).
The works that most enchanted me were from his "City Whispers" series. He captures the lonely, meditative expanse of urban living. The lightness and the darkness. The misery and the delight. (Shown above is Philadelphia, from 1980.)
I've added this to my wish list.
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