Astral Desert: David Benjamin Sherry at Salon 94

Photographer David Benjamin Sherry’s first NYC solo show, Astral Desert, opened yesterday at Salon 94’s downtown locations on Bowery and Freeman Alley. Each space had a distinct vibe. As Fabienne Stephan, the gallery's director, put it: "The Bowery works are Zabriskie Point-meets-William Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams-meets-A Trip to the Moon. The sand prints at Freeman are zen, but also dizzying. Not unlike the feeling you get when looking at a Bridget Riley painting!" Both exhibitions celebrate the minerals of the American West.

In his new works, Sherry, who is known for his natural desert landscapes, investigates the earth as a scientist would, but uses an extremely chromatic approach. His close-ups of granite and limestone are done in monochromes that he patiently works out in the dark room. "Sherry's works present the idea of a photograph as a painting," Fabienne said. "He mixes light in the lab the way an old master of painting would his oils."

Upon seeing David at the opening, I extended my arm to shake his hand, but he quickly went in for a hug. "I can't shake anyone's hand; I'm holding all of these stones," he said, opening his palm to reveal a stash of minerals (no doubt sources of good energy or luck). Charmed, I hugged him right back.

Through June 2, 2012.

SALON 94
243 Bowery and 1 Freeman Alley
New York, NY 10002