MARK CITRET
”Artifacts”
January 14 – February 18, 2006
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 14
6:00- 8:00 PM

More Photos

More Photos

There are fascinating things all around us that we do not see because we are not looking - not looking with a careful, questioning eye. California photographer Mark Citret looks with concentrated attention for the beauty and wonder what can be found in otherwise mundane moments. The gentle light falling on crumpled Venetian blinds, or shadows madly zigzagging down concrete steps; the disarray that startles the uniformity of a chain link fence and even the stark discipline of a row of bathroom urinals can be transformed into lyrical beauty in the hands of a master photographer. Turning these commonplace objects into art is no ordinary miracle. Citret believes these familiar objects tell a cumulative story of our world. Things like chain link and chaise lounge, broken mirrors, blinds, phone booths, and drinking faucets can tell more about our civilization than Egyptian pyramids or the ruins of Pompeii. Citret tells us, “I’ve always been fascinated with the fact that the archaeologists can tell us so much about ancient cultures from their excavated artifacts, no matter how trivial those artifacts may have been. I guess I’m looking at our artifacts in their contemporary contexts.” White Room Gallery invites you to see for yourself these absorbing photographs of Mark Citret. These revealing images show the beauty to be found in looking at the underlying context of everyday objects. There are untold worlds of meaning to be found in the detritus of our throwaway society. See the world though the eyes of a gifted photographer who is documenting our contemporary cultural artifacts for future generations.