The J. Paul Getty Museum Acquires Works by Chris McCaw

Chris McCaw's "Sunburned GSP#1080 (Eclipse Timing/Nevada)" (2023) and "Sunburned GSP#1082 (Annular Eclipse/Nevada)" (2023) have been acquired by the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, CA.

 

Chris McCaw's Sunburn series merges early photography techniques with contemporary innovation, as he constructs his own cameras and exposes large, expired gelatin silver papers to the sun for prolonged periods—ranging from several hours to 24 hours. This method results in stunning depictions of landscapes and seascapes, while the sun itself graphically burns its path across the paper, sometimes cutting through entirely at its peak intensity. The process of creation and destruction unfolds simultaneously, with McCaw's delicate control over exposure balanced by the unpredictable forces of nature. Working with paper negatives that undergo solarization, the resulting images transcend traditional photography, becoming three-dimensional objects where light acts as both a tool and an agent of transformation. His prints, with their torn and transformed surfaces, reveal a fresh photographic language, one that speaks of energy, alchemy, and a new way of experiencing the landscape through the lens of time and light.