Lydia Street Gallery Hosts Lawrence McFarland’s Epic Photos of the American West
See works from the Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient Artist on view
Earlier this month, East Austin’s Lydia Street Gallery hosted and honored the internationally renowned photographer, Professor Emeritus Lawrence McFarland.
The first event of the gallery’s EAT, DRINK, ART! series, guests were invited to experience a private viewing of McFarland’s spellbinding photography, speak with the artist and listen to a talk on his life and career while enjoying wine, whisky, and tapas. Upon entry, visitors also joined a raffle to win one of McFarland’s photographs. A portion of the evening’s ticket proceeds benefitted Austin Pets Alive!.
The exhibition titled “From Dodge to Shiprock” is a collection of magnificent panoramic photographs of the American West, and one from his travels in Italy. Presenting works from the past six decades, Mcfarland’s images capture his reverence for the natural world with enchanting views of skies, earth and animals. This show is currently on display through June 18.
A traveled, adventurous, and diligent character, McFarland’s vision and skill have garnered recognition and admirers all over the globe. He received awards like the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (three times), the Guggenheim Fellowship and has work collected by major institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and countless others.
McFarland’s oeuvre showcases influences from his boyhood passion for Western films, his fascinating experiences on Native American sacred lands, and his distinct wonderment with the world. Witnessing his art is a call to appreciate and experience the majestic landscapes that exist all around us.
“The history of the Western States is the driving force behind my fifty-plus years of photographing the West,” McFarland shares in his personal biography. “My images become a record of my journey, my encounters, my integrity, and my curiosities. They show the joy and the sorrow of the open road, the horizon line that you can never meet, and the pursuit of the spaces that I seek. My images show, and I consider this to be the core of my work, the optimism of the journey, the wonder of discovery, and the revealing of events that happen if you pay attention.”
Visit Lydia Street Gallery in East Austin and see the magical exhibit while it’s still on view. Art patrons can discover other artists in the EAT, DRINK, ART! series by checking the gallery’s website and Instagram.
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