480 Plates

First installed in an exhibit in the Lannan Foundation Gallery, Berman’s seminal work, 480 Plates, is an ode to the desert that lies along the U.S. and Mexico border. Each of the 480 images is a fine silver print mounted on a 5 1/2 inch square of aluminum, cut and filed by hand, layered with paint into which the photograph has been set, abraded back through the pentimenti, rubbed with graphite and pure pigments, and finally, waxed. Overall, the grid measures 8 feet high by 15 feet long. The pattern of sand dunes, the bend of a cactus, and the elegance of an abandoned hacienda are among the limitless details of the desert captured in these images. When assembled together, the images present an imposing testament to both the strength and the delicacy of this natural region.

https://lannan.org/art/480-plates-installation-by-michael-p.-berman