Vestige
In Eric Lubrick's latest show, Vestige, he seeks to connect viewers through his emphasis on the many ways technology has affected our lives and our communication with each other. He's included 4 different "series" in this show, with the overall goal of emphasizing how we can idealize beauty through the disintegration of each image and the tension that arises from it. This collection of work critiques the presence of technology in our everyday lives and seeks to provide space to step back and observe.
The three main series feature different photographs in Lubrick's signature style. The first two contain 30-50 photos arranged in two grids: one of shattered teacups, the other of flowers blown apart. These grids are incredibly effective because they take up a lot of space and create movement through the repetition of shattering. The third series is a collection of larger photographs in a similar style, capturing a specific moment in time. Because Lubrick has taken the time to refine his craft in this specific style of photography, he appreciates the opportunity to get into the studio and produce each piece effectively. While discussing this aspect of the show, Lubrick described the "chaos and uncertainty" created by this process and how exciting it is to work with those concepts in his work.
The last series is a collection of balloons, each screenprinted with a different image. Lubrick first had the idea for this series a couple of years ago and has taken the time to experiment with different materials to bring his vision to life. Originally inspired by the various "spy balloon scares" over the years and the state fair game of aiming at a line of balloons with a dart, Lubrick set out to create a series of balloon-printed photographs. It took him quite a bit of time to locate a print shop that would work with him, and even longer to find an ink that would do what he sought to create.
He landed on a rubber-based ink, which dries almost immediately after being applied to the screen and balloon. This means it was a more labor-intensive process, since he had to prepare the screen all over again for each print, rather than completing several prints at once. While there were moments when he wasn't sure it would work, Lubrick appreciated this series of his process for creating this show, since it was something new he was developing. He believes that it's important to leave "20% space where you don't know what will happen" in a body of work, so that he can still feel like he is making discoveries and creating something he hasn't made before.
The balloon-print series also emphasizes the tension between our culture's idealization of beauty and its constant state of disappearance by deflating over time, thus physically aging as viewers watch. Lubrick hopes that this show will create space for viewers to set aside distractions, pause, and be present in this specific moment with these pieces.