VRG* presents the work of British photographer William Furniss at the AIPAD New York Photography Show; his 20 year project “Grid System” depicts the mechanics of city life through the use of medium format analogue film and enlarged photographic contact sheets (shot on Kodak stock with Agfa Isolette, Mamiya Press and Hasselblad).
This work stems from an interest in what is possible both photographically, because he enjoys a challenge, and more broadly in terms of urbanism. Inspired by Picasso and Braque who struggled with the two dimensional nature of the canvas and arrived at cubism (whilst watching movies together), William’s contact sheets allow him to ease aside the key photographic limitations of where to stand and when to press the shutter button; his works are made across hours or days, and from different locations relative to his subjects, allowing his work to subtly transcend time and space, describing urban phenomena in a more complex narrative that mimics how we truly perceive our surroundings, as an amalgam of many different impressions.
Whilst William has lived mostly in Hong Kong for the last 25 years two years spent in New York from 1999 allowed him to develop his approach which today favours pre-visualisation of the image and incamera manipulations to create a subjective but recognisable record of our time that is testament to the belief that cities should be vibrant, enjoyable, sustainable, democratic places that enable a positive future for us on this planet.
Van Renburg Galleries
Instagram #williamfurniss
AIPAD
Pier 94 | New York City
