ICONS

Fascinated by what he calls the fabric of great cities, Livingston’s love of great architecture and the textures of urban environments can be seen in these photos, ICONS.

In ICONS we see the spirit of man’s built expression from around the globe. The photographs abstract the locations with a flowing movement that adds life to the built and static.

Livingston’s worldly travels bring forth images from what could be a modern grand tour. Seen here are photos of the London Eye, Eiffel Tower, the Seine, Ponte Vecchio, London Bridges and Disney Concert Hall.

London Eye, Square

Eiffel Tower

Ponte Vecchio One

London Bridges One

Concert Hall Sky

Concert Hall Duet Left

Concert Hall Duet Right

Artist Statement

David Duncan Livingston’s photographic abstractions of natural and urban landscapes examine the purity and beauty of nature as well as the complexity of the built environment. He records glimpses of light, shape, and color, as he moves through a space, observing and capturing the essence of an environment. His contemplative photographs traverse through rich layers of space and meaning.

When Livingston’s images are seen in mural size, they evoke an emotional response, examining a sense of memory and connection to a place. David draws influence from Abstract Expressionist painters such as Mark Rothko. This art movement gained momentum in the 1950’s and was characterized by the artist’s large scale abstractions relying on chance and spontaneity in the process. Livingston also conveys a sense of spontaneity in his shooting style and his large photographs are full of texture and subtleties. In exploring the abstract possibilities in the landscape, much of which was originally inspired by the land surrounding his Northern California home, he has created a body of work that examines the feeling and energy of a space and the emotional connection that one has with the world around them.

David Duncan Livingston, makes his home in Mill Valley, California and is a well known photographer shooting interiors for architects, designers, along with a wide range of national publications. The photographer for seven large format books on interior design and architecture, his client list reads as a who’s who of the design community. He is sought after for his distinguished level of taste and his eye for design and composition. Livingston bridges the gap between his fine art work and his commercial work seamlessly by creating a harmonious color palette, a simplicity of design and a pureness of vision.

Process

PHOTOGRAPHY PROCESS

The process creating these images uses state of the art cameras, computers and printers to capture random moments in nature. While the technology employed is extensive, the photographs are not the result of digital manipulation. Each photograph is a combination of subtle movement of the camera while directing in real time the speed and track of movement.

Creating these abstractions is akin to watching a Japanese potter celebrate the imperfections that are allowed in the crafting process. For the potter skill and craft come together with the randomness of nature to make a tea bowl of character and uniqueness. The master potter has the technical skills to make the perfect bowl, yet instead the potter allows the slip of a finger or the flip of a wrist to render randomness; then after firing in an imperfect wood kiln the multiple elements come together. The potters final step as a editor selects the few bowls where these random elements create a captivating vessel. So to here from the many photographs taken in the field and after multiple editing steps a few photos where technique and random create the unique captivating photograph.

Framing