George Byrne: Synthetica, An Opus of Synthesis By A. Moret
INSTALLATION MAGAZINE
George Byrne
I first interviewed George Byrne in 2020 during his solo exhibition, “Post Truth,” at domicile (n.) in East Hollywood. The article “Lensman as a Cultural Conservationist” was published at the height of the pandemic. We met on the back patio of the Hollywood gallery, under the shadow of the Scientology building, also known as “Big Blue.” Seated six feet apart, we both wore two masks despite being outdoors. It felt apropos to speak about Los Angeles, the subject and preoccupation of Byrne’s work, surrounded by a surreal embrace. The scene felt copied and pasted, taken straight from one of the artist’s urban scenes- a resounding stillness that resisted the traffic echoing beyond the fence and flora sprouting from the asphalt set against a masonry garden. Even the natural lighting was on cue, remaining suspended in equal parts sunlight and shadows cut at right angles.
Nearly five years later, we sat down again, but this time in front of our screens to discuss a new body of work titled “Synthetica.” The photographs will be exhibited at Show Gallery beginning June 13, 2024. This interview, however, was a unique experience conducted entirely through digital channels before Byrne’s solo exhibition “Synthetica” opened. My only impression of the work has been through a virtual viewing room. Our dialogue was exchanged through digital interfaces—text messages, voice memos, and emails. None of this conversation took place in person, but that’s what piqued our interest in this approach. The manner in which the interview was conducted reflects the innovative ethos inherent to the body of work in question.
After a decade of exhibiting photographs of Los Angeles, “Synthetica” can be seen as a love letter or thank-you note to the city of Angels. The photographic method is a testament to Byrne’s dedication and skill, as the images are captured on a Pentax 67 Medium Format camera. The origins of every image are 100% analog. The transformation or synthesis begins through meditative addition, subtraction, collage, and endless reevaluation. Byrne adheres to a meticulous methodology to maintain continuity as the images become more malleable and less static. The artist explains that after sifting through low-resolution scans, he selects which images he wants to set to work on. These “sketches” are then added to the original low-resolution scans. After discovering which sketches work best and through a series of internal rearranging, the frames are processed again by a high-powered drum scanner that yields the final large digital file.