déjà vu, magical realism and americana blend in george byrne's collage dreamscapes
George Byrne
DESIGN BOOM MAGAZINE
Australian artist George Byrne presents his solo exhibition Synthetica, blending elements of déjà vu, magical realism, and Americana at Show Gallery in Los Angeles. In this new series of photo collages, Byrne aims to challenge the misconception that his work is created using AI. Instead, he starts with medium format film photographs taken with his Pentax 67 camera and engages in addition, subtraction, and collage. The resulting images possess the vivid clarity of modernist artwork, transforming everyday landscapes and surfaces into painterly abstractions. ‘I’m more curious about the process of making photos, rather than taking them, which happens through experimentation with various forms of manipulation and digital reconstruction,’ Byrne says. The exhibition pays homage to the artist’s analog roots and the influence of new topographic photographers, presenting recognizable locations from road trips across the US with an underlying dreamlike quality.