Biff Henrich: The Structure of Things
© Biff Henrich
Biff Henrich
The photographs I make are visual experiences that are derived from our everyday world but do not exist in it. They reference aspects of it but do not duplicate it in a manner as to say, “See what I saw. Now you see the same thing.” Photography has the unique property in its visual language of the illusion of authority. There is an assumption that the content in front of the camera is fixed in the photograph. Intellectually we know that many times that is not true but the illusion still exists and we want to believe it. There is content that is recognizable by all and can be called out as “of this world”, but the totality of the visual experience lives outside and beyond those references. The references are gateways that allow us to enter the images but once there, the aspects of the photographs that are not of those references are to be experienced and not spoken.
When looking at my photographs, I give the viewer license to know what they are looking at. What you see and what you conclude from that viewing is correct. It may not be what I was thinking about when I made them but it is what the photographs are saying to you. I am able to say this as I have the advantage of not making narrative or documentary photographs that have an underlying literary or political thread to them that the photographer wants the audience to see and more importantly to believe and agree with. That is a different purpose than the photographs I make.
If you take the time to look at these photographs, you will have an experience. Trust your visual language skills. The destination won’t be mine and won’t be your friend’s; it will be yours. We may have some common aspects but they will be unique.
Pointing is allowed.
About Biff Henrich
Biff Henrich has exhibited extensively at a variety of Galleries and Museums including Artist Space, The Contemporary Art Museum of Houston, The Visual Studies Workshop, The California Museum of Photography and the Albright Knox Art Gallery.
His work is part of many collections including the Albright Knox Art Gallery, The Burchfield Penney Art Center, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Light Work Gallery, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Castellani Art Museum. His work has earned him two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships and a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship.
He is currently co-owner of IMG_INK in Buffalo, a commercial photography and print graphics company.
image © Biff Henrich