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Chris McCaw

Chris McCaw

  • Biography
  • Artist Digest
  • Works
  • Exhibitions
  • News
  • Press
  • American, b. 1971 Lives and works in Pacifica, Ca Chris McCaw’s artistic practice is firmly rooted in the history of...

    American, b. 1971

    Lives and works in Pacifica, Ca

     

    Chris McCaw’s artistic practice is firmly rooted in the history of photography while pushing the medium in new directions. His experimental process recalls the work of photography pioneer, Henry Fox Talbot, combined with the slash and burn paintings of Lucio Fontana. McCaw has taken this notion of simultaneous creation-destruction and harnessed the resulting tension, working with the unpredictable process so elegantly that he manages a polished and highly crafted style, but one that remains dependent upon the brute and visceral contribution of chance and light and the spin of the Earth. 
     
    In McCaw’s iconic Sunburn series, the lenses in the artist’s handmade cameras function as magnifying glasses, allowing the sun to literally burn its path across the light-sensitive negatives that are often solarized in the process. The subject of the photograph (the sun) disrupts the idea that a photograph is simply a representation of reality—instead becoming a physical embodiment of the Earth’s movement and the passage of time. In his photographs, the horizon line becomes the site on which our own celestial movements are mapped, connecting the viewer to the larger cycles of astronomical time and planetary motion. His Poly-optic and Heliograph series make use of multiple lenses or exposures to explore the mark-making possibilities of his practice as it shades into abstraction. 
     
    McCaw’s work has been exhibited at institutions including the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C; J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA; de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA; Art Institute of Chicago, IL; Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, CA; George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR; Portland Art Museum, OR; Datz Museum of Art, Gwangju, South Korea; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Somerset House, London, UK. His work is in the collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY; Chrysler Art Museum, Norfolk, VA; Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA; National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C; Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK; George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, CA; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA; J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA; and many private collections.
     
    In 2014, McCaw received the Emerging Icon in Photography award from the George Eastman Museum. His work is the subject of two monographic publications: Sunburn (Candela Books, 2012) and Marking Time (Datz Books, 2023).
     
    Artist CV (PDF)
  • ARTIST DIGEST | CHRIS MCCAW

    ARTIST DIGEST | CHRIS MCCAW

    Discover the work of Chris McCaw in Haines Gallery's Artist Digest, a carefully curated mix of content that invites you to explore his practice in depth.
     
    READ MORE
  • Works
    • Chris McCaw Sunburned GSP #1073 (21 hours, 4 weeks before the summer solstice, Dietrich River, Arctic Circle, Alaska), 2015 16 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives 45 x 199 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Sunburned GSP #1073 (21 hours, 4 weeks before the summer solstice, Dietrich River, Arctic Circle, Alaska), 2015
      16 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives
      45 x 199 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunburned%20GSP%20%231073%20%2821%20hours%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E4%20weeks%20before%20the%20summer%20solstice%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3EDietrich%20River%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3EArctic%20Circle%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3EAlaska%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2015%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3E16%20Unique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negatives%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E45%20x%20199%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
    • Chris MCCaw Sunburned GSP #857 (Late Evening / Sunrise, North Slope, Arctic Circle, Alaska), 2015 6 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives 45.25 x 76 inches, framed
      Chris MCCaw
      Sunburned GSP #857 (Late Evening / Sunrise, North Slope, Arctic Circle, Alaska), 2015
      6 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives
      45.25 x 76 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20MCCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunburned%20GSP%20%23857%20%28Late%20Evening%20/%20Sunrise%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3ENorth%20Slope%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3EArctic%20Circle%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3EAlaska%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2015%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3E6%20Unique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negatives%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E45.25%20x%2076%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Heliograph #140 (Double Day, Mojave / Pacific Ocean), 2017 3 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives 14 x 28 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Heliograph #140 (Double Day, Mojave / Pacific Ocean), 2017
      3 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives
      14 x 28 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EHeliograph%20%23140%20%28Double%20Day%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3EMojave%20/%20Pacific%20Ocean%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2017%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3E3%20Unique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negatives%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E14%20x%2028%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Instant #17 (eclipse), 2017 7 Unique diffusion transfer prints 10.28 x 28.75 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Instant #17 (eclipse), 2017
      7 Unique diffusion transfer prints
      10.28 x 28.75 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EInstant%20%2317%20%28eclipse%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2017%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3E7%20Unique%20diffusion%20transfer%20prints%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E10.28%20x%2028.75%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Sunburned GSP #1097 (Pacific Ocean), 2024 2 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives 44.5 x 28.5 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Sunburned GSP #1097 (Pacific Ocean), 2024
      2 Unique gelatin silver paper negatives
      44.5 x 28.5 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunburned%20GSP%20%231097%20%28Pacific%20Ocean%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2024%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3E2%20Unique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negatives%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E44.5%20x%2028.5%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Sunburned GSP #1088 (Eclipse), 2023 Unique gelatin silver paper negative 10 x 9 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Sunburned GSP #1088 (Eclipse), 2023
      Unique gelatin silver paper negative
      10 x 9 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunburned%20GSP%20%231088%20%28Eclipse%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2023%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EUnique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negative%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E10%20x%209%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%20%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Sunburned GSP #723 (Utah), 2013 Unique gelatin silver paper negative 15 x 18 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Sunburned GSP #723 (Utah), 2013
      Unique gelatin silver paper negative
      15 x 18 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunburned%20GSP%20%23723%20%28Utah%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2013%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EUnique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negative%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E15%20x%2018%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Sunburned GSP #1079 (Nevada), 2023 Unique gelatin silver paper negative 15.25 x 18.25 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Sunburned GSP #1079 (Nevada), 2023
      Unique gelatin silver paper negative
      15.25 x 18.25 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunburned%20GSP%20%231079%20%28Nevada%29%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2023%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EUnique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negative%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E15.25%20x%2018.25%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%20%3C/div%3E
    • Chris McCaw Poly-optic #53, 2016 Unique gelatin silver paper negative 21 x 25 inches, framed
      Chris McCaw
      Poly-optic #53, 2016
      Unique gelatin silver paper negative
      21 x 25 inches, framed
      Inquire
      %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EChris%20McCaw%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EPoly-optic%20%2353%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2016%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EUnique%20gelatin%20silver%20paper%20negative%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E21%20x%2025%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
  • Exhibitions
    • Elemental

      Elemental

      April 7 - May 27, 2023
      Haines Gallery proudly presents Elemental , a group exhibition featuring new and recent works by John Chiara , Binh Danh , Chris McCaw and Meghann Riepenhoff , four West Coast...
      Read more
    • Blaze Across the Firmament

      Blaze Across the Firmament

      September 10 - October 30, 2021
      Haines Gallery proudly presents Blaze Across the Firmament , a group exhibition exploring our relationship to the heavens — those ethereal bodies that illuminate the night sky, mark our place...
      Read more
    • A Cure for Everything

      A Cure for Everything

      January 5 - March 23, 2019
      Haines Gallery is pleased to present A Cure for Everything , a group exhibition bringing together works by nine artists working in photography, print, and video. Employing alternative or experimental...
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    • Chris McCaw: Time and Tides

      Chris McCaw: Time and Tides

      March 2 - April 29, 2017
      Haines Gallery is pleased to present Time and Tides , an exhibition of recent work by Bay Area photographer Chris McCaw (b. 1971; lives and works in Pacifica, CA). Time...
      Read more
    • The Stand-ins

      The Stand-ins

      July 7 - September 3, 2016
      This summer, Haines Gallery is pleased to present a group exhibition entitled The Stand-ins , featuring new and recent works by Maurizio Anzeri, Kota Ezawa, Chris McCaw, and Sunny A....
      Read more
    • The Mapmaker's Dream

      The Mapmaker's Dream

      November 5 - December 23, 2015
      The Mapmaker’s Dream brings together five artist whose works propose inventive and visually compelling ways to map the world around us: Maurizio Anzeri (b. 1969; Italian, lives and works in...
      Read more
  • News
    • Chris McCaw Museum Exhibition, Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees Museum of Art and History, Lancaster CA September 7 -...
      News

      Chris McCaw
      Museum Exhibition

      Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees
      Museum of Art and History, Lancaster CA
      September 7 - December 29, 2024
      Chris McCaw's iconic Sunburn prints are included in Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees , a group exhibition at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History. Desert Light sheds light...
    • Chris McCaw Fundraising Exhibition, Lens Flair: PCNW’s Benefit Preview Exhibition Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, WA September 12 – 29, 2024
      News

      Chris McCaw
      Fundraising Exhibition

      Lens Flair: PCNW’s Benefit Preview Exhibition
      Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, WA
      September 12 – 29, 2024
      Chris McCaw will be featured in the Photographic Center Northwest's Benefit Preview Exhibition: Lens Flair . The term lens flare refers to light scattering in a camera lens in response...
    • Chris McCaw Museum Exhibition, Ansel Adams in Our Time De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA April 8 - August 6,...
      News

      Chris McCaw
      Museum Exhibition

      Ansel Adams in Our Time
      De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
      April 8 - August 6, 2023
      The exhibition opening at the de Young Museum presents more than 100 works by photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams. Shown alongside Adam’s works are photographers who influenced Adams and contemporary...
  • Press
  • Jessica Zack, "Bay Area photographers bring fresh perspective to 'Ansel Adams in Our Time'," San Francisco Chronicle, May 25, 2023

    Sharon Anderson, "Ansel Adams and West Coast landscape photography at the de Young and Haines Gallery," Marina Times, May 2023

    David M. Roth, "Water & Sky @ Crown Point and Haines," Squarecylinder.com, October 1, 2021

    Karla Kane, “Art from above,” Palo Alto Online, January 30, 2019

    David M. Roth, "A Cure for Everything @ Haines," Squarecylinder.com, January 11, 2019

    Charles Desmarais, "'10,000 Fahrenheit' heats up SF Arts Commision gallery," San Francsico Chronicle, September 25, 2018

    Kimberly Roberts, “Landscape + Photography = A Collaboration,” Denver Art Museum, June 20, 2018

    Leah Ollman, "Rematerializing Photography," Art in America, June 1, 2017

    Iqvinder Singh, "Homemade Cameras Use the Sun to Burn Photographs", Juxtapoz, April 26, 2017

    Kate Sierzputowski, "Sunburn: Long Exposure Photographs With Markings Burned by the Light of the Sun", Colossal, April 26, 2017

    Sam Whiting, "24-hour sun exposures of Arctic Circle at Haines Gallery," SFGate, April 19, 2017

    Ian Bourland, "Critic's Pick: Chris McCaw," Artforum, March 3, 2016

    Becky Harlan, "When the Sun Burns a Hole in Your Photo," National Geographic, June 18, 2015

    Iris Schneider, "'Light, Paper, Process: Reinventing Photography' at the Getty," LA Observed, May 3, 2015

    DL Cade, "Photographer Chris McCaw Talks About How He Creates His Sunburned Photos," PetaPixel, May 15, 2013

    Ken Johnson, "Chris McCaw: 'Marking Time'," The New York Times, December 27, 2012

    Lynell George, "Chris McCaw's Scorched Photography," Los Angeles Times, May 25, 2008

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