Lucas Samaras

PhotoFlicks and PhotoFictions

Maker

Lucas Samaras (American, b. 1936)

Title

PhotoFlicks and PhotoFictions

Year

2005

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

wood, plastic

Supports

Dimensions

72.7 x 90.2 x 59.7 cm (28 5/8 x 35 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches) desk

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Dr. and Mrs. William G. Tsiaras

Object Number

2011.79

Type

Exhibition History

Facing Artists
Twentieth Century Portraits from the Collection
Feb 27, 2009 – Jul 31, 2009

Label copy

Lucas Samaras has used his own image, some would say relentlessly, as a major subject in his work for more than fifty years. This piece demonstrates the continued richness of this subject for him. Most of the 4,432 images presented here are images of his own body, and those that are not document his surroundings in New York City, his home, and the studio within it. In fact, his presentation of the computer on a desk references the setup in his studio.

In his celebrated “ Photo-Transformation” Polaroid prints of the 1970s, Samaras shifted the photo emulsion to create incredible distortions in the image. The

iPhotos in this piece seem related to that practice, with the computer the consummate tool for alteration. This work exemplifies the obsessive, yet controlled,

aesthetic that characterizes his work in all media.

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Tombstone

Lucas Samaras (American, b. 1936)
PhotoFlicks and PhotoFictions, 2005
Installation comprising of 4, 432 iPhoto and 60 iMovie files on Mac Mini, presented with computer components, desk and chairs
72.7 x 90.2 x 59.7 cm (28 5/8 x 35 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches) desk
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. William G. Tsiaras 2011.79

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