I had the chance to go to First Thursday last night. I was happy to see that Michael Berman's work was still hanging in the Blue Star. His prints are taken from a large format camera, digitally printed on fine art paper. There are about twenty prints in the large gallery that are grouped with about 5 pieces by Julian Cardona. Berman and Cardona were trying to study the desert Southwest and the areas of border crossing. Cardona's work is more softly focused and seems to be more about the people. Berman's are mostly landscape shots. Berman's work are printed quite large, with simple black frames. They are all printed in black and white. Some contain seemingly strange items (trash, box spring, etc) that were what was left behind by those trying to get across the border. The one that affected me most was "Pool and Palms". It shows an obviously abandoned in ground pool that has graffiti all over the walls. There are uncared for palms behind the pool. The viewer can see that this was once a beautiful yard, now deserted. Aside from the subject matter, the print is beautiful. The viewer can see every tiny detail, the grains of sand, even the texture of the pool's concrete. Many of his prints were landscape shots. With no other content, the lines of the sand dunes, horizon, etc. were more obvious. These were visually stunning.
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