Stuart McCall Fine Art
Industrial Landscapes
Project Summary: A series of images depicting the unexpected alignment of elements within the visual tapestry of the industrial landscape.
This project examines big human endeavor and the machinery that helps accomplish it; the immensity of industrial scale; the mystery and symmetry of its inner workings and the nuanced arrangement of its parts. I explore the arrangement of bold colors, monolithic shapes and unusual textures which occur in industrial and construction settings. Despite a complete lack of consideration for aesthetics by painters and steel workers, surveyors, and equipment operators there is an unselfconscious aesthetic which arises as these elements frequently orchestrate themselves into a rough canvas filled with unconventional, terrible beauty.
The photographic subject matter is based upon a number of factors. I have made use of the vivid colours which are surprisingly abundant in industrial sites. These colourful elements exist in the form of warning signs, cautionary lines painted on floors and walls, painted equipment, valves, knobs, and infrastructure including ductwork, etc. I have also been drawn to include the occasional text elements which have been applied by the workers. Sometimes humorous additions like the word “ironic” scrawled above a pile of iron recycling, other times incomprehensible hieroglyphic markings on the side of a construction site excavation. Additionally I have worked with the element of scale - the sense of vastness one feels when standing outside a monolithic windowless building larger than a housing estate, or when observing pipelines that span a continent.
This work addresses an uncomfortable confusion of feelings that we have for industry, ranging from reverence to revulsion. We lament the coastal oil spill, while thoughtlessly filling our automobiles with fuel. We tisk at e-waste and the buildup of CO2 in the atmosphere, while learning about these scourges on our large screen televisions, shipped from the across the world.
The exhibition size of the images is approximately 20" X 30" or 30" X 20". They are available as limited edition archival inkjet prints.
About Stuart McCall
Stuart McCall is an artist creating primarily photo-based works. Living in Vancouver, BC since 1968, he has been making images for several decades.
Frequently examining our relationship with the natural environment, McCall’s work explores the unexpected arrangement of elements that occur from chance effect. Using a visual aesthetic reminiscent of contemporary commercial imagery, he challenges us to consider the significance of visual coincidence. He frequently makes use of unconventional perspective and scale offering the viewer a fresh look at the familiar in order to challenge preconceived notions about our surroundings.
He began his career as a commercial photographer in 1982. His images have been published widely, featured in such titles as Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, Saturday Night, Photography Monthly, Boston Globe, Times of London, as well as in books by National Geographic and Douglas & McIntyre. His work has been recognized by Communication arts, the Lotus Awards, and International Photography awards. Since the 1990s he has worked with Vancouver artist Neil Wedman on various photo based projects which have been exhibited widely. These include "Every Bus Stop from My Place to the Racetrack" 1997, and "Movies ‘til Dawn" 2009.
Stuart’s work is represented in Vancouver by the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Art Rentals and Sales, and in Calgary by Newzones Contemporary Art. His work has been exhibited at the Surrey Art Gallery, Richmond Art Gallery, Vancouver Art Gallery, Port Moody Arts Centre, Blue Sky Gallery in Portland, the City of Seattle’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs - Portable Collection, and the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in California.
Stuart McCall is married, has two children, and lives south of Vancouver, where he finds considerable visual inspiration for his work. His interests outside of making images include keeping fit, and building things.
Gallery representation
Vancouver Art Gallery Sales and Rentals
- Since 2005
- Manager: Zoe Mackoff de Miranda
- Art Rental & Sales
Newzones, Calgary, Alberta
- Since 2014
- Directors: Tamar Zenith, Helen Zenith
- Newzones
Artist Talks & Presentations
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2016Vancouver Art Gallery Art Rentals and Sales. Artist Talk, “Indistrioglyphs.”
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2015Visual Space Gallery, Vancouver, BC. Artist Talk, “Edges of Light.”
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2012Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, BC. Artist Talk, “Fantasy Gardens.”
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2012Visual Space Gallery, Vancouver, BC. Presentation on Fine Art relationship with Commercial Photography.
Exhibitions
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2021Abandoned. Artspace Gallery, Lake Oswego, OR, Group Show.
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2021Typologies, A Study. The Commotion Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Virtual Exhibition.
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2021Typologies. Blue Sky Gallery, Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers.
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2020OCCCA@40. Orange County Center for Creative Art, CA. Group Show.
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2019Perception. Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB. Group Show.
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2019Qualities of Light. Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, Tucson. Group Show.
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2018Industrial Landscapes II. Capture Photography Festival, Vancouver, BC. Slideluck V, digital Projection.
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2017Industrioglyphs. Capture Photography Festival, Vancouver, BC. Public Art Installation.
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2017Perceptions. Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB. Group show.
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2016Landscape X 7. Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB. Group show.
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2016Industrioglyphs. Vancouver Art Gallery Art Rentals and Sales, Vancouver, BC. Solo show.
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2016tXtMe. Orange County Centre for Contemporary Art, California. Group show.
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2016Marcia Rafelman Fine Arts, Annual Group Exhibit. Toronto, Ontario. Group show.
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2015“Views From the Southbank III, Information, Objects, Mapping.” Surrey Art Gallery. Group show.
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2015Marcia Rafelman Fine Arts. Toronto, Ontario. Group show.
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2014Rogers Cup 2014. Artwork in executive suites courtesy of AGO Art Rental & Sales. Marcia Rafelman Fine Arts. Toronto, Ontario.
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2014Home. Group show. Orange County Centre for Contemporary Art. Santa Anna, CA.
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2014Refresh. Group show. Marcia Rafelman Fine Art. Toronto, ON.
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2014Port Mann Bridge. Burnaby Art Gallery, Off Site Exhibition Space. Burnaby, BC.
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2013Port Mann Bridge. Coquitlam Art Gallery, Off Site Exhibition Space. Coquitlam, BC.
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2013Ruins. Culture Series Group show, Vancouver Art Gallery, digital image projection. Vancouver, BC.
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2013City of Seattle, Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, portable exhibition. Group show. Seattle, WA.
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2013Blue Sky Gallery, Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers. Portland, OR.
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2012Orange County Centre for Contemporary Art, Subdivision. Group show. Princeton, BC.
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2012Barrister Lounge, Vancouver Courthouse, selected works. Vancouver, BC.
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2012Fantasy Gardens. Richmond Art Gallery, exhibition with Neil Wedman. Richmond, BC.
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2011Rental House. Vancouver Art Gallery, Culture Series, digital slide show. Vancouver, BC.
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2009Industrial Landscapes. SFU Gallery, slideshow in McLean Park. Vancouver, BC.
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2009Works of Man. Center for Fine Art Photography. Fort Collins, CO.
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2009Inaugural group exhibition. NYAXE Gallery. Paulo Alto, CA.
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2009Axis Exposed. Group show. Axis Contemporary Art. Fort Calgary, AB.
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2008Gasoline Romance. Group show. Canvas Gallery. Vancouver, BC.
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2007Latitude of Colour. Vancouver Art Gallery Art Rentals and Sales. Vancouver, BC.
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2007Discontinuous Spectrums. Port Moody Art Gallery. Port Moody, BC.
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2006Beyond Belief. Group show. Surrey Art Gallery. Surrey, BC.
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2006Environmental Photography International. Group show. Art Wolfe Photographic Center. Seattle, WA.
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2003Quirky People. CBC Radio 3 Web Gallery.
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1992Faces of Canada photographic exhibition
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1990ASMP Seattle Chapter group show
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1987PPABC group traveling exhibit
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1984Gamma PROLAB / client’s exhibit
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1982Student exhibition / PNE photo & travel show