Review: Wynn Bullock: Revelations (Atlanta High Museum of Art, until 2015.01.08)

I had never heard of Wynn Bullock before checking the scheduled exhibits for Atlanta's High Museum of Art.  A bit of online research revealed him as one of the masters of mid-century West Coast movement, along with Adams and Weston.  It was in fact his meeting with the latter that convinced him to give up an acting career to pursue photography.  But where Weston and Adams are well-known, Bullock is largely forgotten, even though one of his two images in The Family of Man was chosen by exhibit visitors as their favourite of the collection's 500+ photos.

Scott suggests Bullock may have been ignored because he was difficult to classify, working in several genres, from early experiments inspired by Man Ray, to straight, to commercial, to late period color abstracts.   It may also be that he was ignored because he was interested primarily in exploration of experience, especially ideas of space and time, and less in particular kinds of subjects.

The last major exhibit of his work was nearly 40 years ago, presumably near the end his life, or shortly after his death in 1975.  So why an exhibit now?  And why in Atlanta?

According to Meyers, it came about as a result of Bullock's daughter contacting the Getty Museum to inquire after prints of her father's work.  The person answering the phone, then the assistant photography curator, could locate only one. This led to research and acquisitions, in the process of which the assistant curator developed an interest in Bullock’s work. Skip ahead a few years and the assistant is now the head curator of the Atlanta High Museum’s photography collection and working to put together a major retrospective, including an exhibit and a book. And here we are today.

Revelations was housed in three medium sized rooms, 100+ images on one floor of a wing.  The photos were hung in chronological order at eye level in a horizontal line but for one group of images exploring decay stacked four high.  At 193cm, those at top were difficult for even me to see comfortably.   Image sizes were surprisingly small, most no larger than 10x12, many smaller.  The gelatine silvers were beautiful in their range of tone and level of depth, some approaching near 3D quality.  The colour abstracts were printed larger, but by ink jet and with greater noise.  A slideshow of colour abstracts was projected on a wall, but contrast seemed somewhat light, the colours thin.  A small wall-mounted monitor played a short interview with Bullock.

I spent perhaps 20 minutes viewing and did not review.  I was disappointed in image size and the necessity to get very close to appreciate many of them.  The book appeared to be a quality project, with many full-bleed pages, but at $65 the price was somewhat expensive for a collection I didn't find terribly inspiring.  Still, it was a worthwhile visit, especially so since admission was gratis (thanks to my niece and her friend's city passes).

Facebook Wynn Bullock Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wynn-Bullock-Fan-Page/169354663081655

1971 Interview with Bullock:  http://vimeo.com/50887732

The High Museum color abstract video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e56cUSR_f20

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