The Secret Life of Objects traces the trajectory of Cumming’s work through several decades and focuses on his singular appreciation for the power of objects in art. Perception, language, and the nuances of photographic vision are common themes in the work, and his method of portraying the physically impossible so that it appears visually accurate has its roots in his early career as a painter, sculptor, performance artist, and mail artist. In his photographic work—the majority of which he made in Southern California during the 1970s—Cumming embraced the illusion and reality of the medium: that photographs can spin artifice regardless of how true they appear. By intentionally including studio lighting, wires, and messy elements of construction, or “a means by which one can unravel the fabrication,” he creates visual narratives that unfold over time.
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