Exhibition Review: Clifford Ross "Prints On Wood"
Clifford Ross, Untitled, 2020. © Clifford Ross; Courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE Gallery, New York.
Written by: Emma Elizabeth Mathes
There is one week left to catch Clifford Ross's latest work of ecological grandeur, presented by Ryan Lee Gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan.
For his well-known Hurricane series, Clifford Ross tethered himself to the Long Island shore and waded out into the stormy surf, camera in hand. For his later Mountain series, Ross invented the R1, one of the highest resolution cameras in the world. Ross's work is nature-focused, and always imaginative. His latest exhibition, Clifford Ross: Prints on Wood is no exception. The work is an awe-inspiring introspection on nature's sublime.
On display in Chelsea are ten unique wood panel prints from Ross. Each image is a dramatic crop of Ross's previous works. This tightened focus calls attention to the magnitude and power of nature; it emphasizes the relevancy in even the smallest of details. And indeed, this is often Ross's intention with his art: to "recreate nature by virtue of its scale." The daring multimedia creator is notable for his innovation and often spectacular techniques. He pursues new routes continuously to study the earth's majesty with fresh eyes.
Clifford Ross, Untitled, 2020. © Clifford Ross; Courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE Gallery, New York.
For Prints on Wood, Ross hand-selected the wood panels for each image; the type of wood would determine each print’s success. Each image was then refined, to perfectly complement their respective panel. Honoring the woods’ singularity, Ross plays with light rather than color. He rearranges the negative and positive spaces, toying with shading, contrast, and tone. The result is more akin to a film negative than it is a photographic print.
Ross' images and their wood seem to fuse together into a homogenous, yet multi-textural landscape. From a distance, the ink can look like engraving, like the work’s physicality is one manipulated substance. Ross' first mediums were substance-based [painting and sculpture.] Prints on Wood brought Clifford Ross back to that materiality.
Clifford Ross, Untitled, 2019. © Clifford Ross; Courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE Gallery, New York.
The wood organically conveys an ecosystem’s fluidity. The grain shows through the prints, imbuing fixed ink with texture and movement. And, the wood’s natural patterning suggests changeability. Even the minute details of Ross’s photographs dance, reminding one of the essential and persistent activity in a biome. Ross works to spotlight nature’s complexity and singular strength at even its microbial level. The lack of varying color underscores its consistency; each element (water, air, earth) is part of a larger whole, all working together in congruence.
Our earth is majestic; Ross’ expansive projects continue to honor this fact. "Nature affects me as much as art [does]," Ross says, and it’s hard to disagree with him after experiencing his magnificent tributes.
Clifford Ross: Prints on Wood is on display at Ryan Lee Gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan through May 15th.
