Madison, WI 2005 bu Brian Ulrich

Chicago-based photographer (and recent Guggenheim Fellowship recipient!) Brian Ulrich has a solo show of images from his Copia series, Thrift and Dark Stores, on view now through July 3 at Julie Saul Gallery.

From the press release:

Ulrich began his Copia series after 9/11 when President Bush encouraged Americans to shop as a patriotic gesture to boost the economy. He pictured the abundant merchandise in stores and shoppers' fascination with the goods. As the decade progressed Ulrich has enlarged his theme to embrace thrift stores and finally the new landscape of closed and derelict malls and big box stores. Ulrich's image Madison, Wisconsin 2005 of a retail space filled with empty hangers signals the end of a cycle, and is pictured on the cover of the May 2009 issue of Photograph with an essay by Lyle Rexer who writes, "Ulrich reveals the chaotic ass-end of capitalism”. Thrift looks at the "last -stop repositories" where goods are sent to die at even more discounted prices. These chaotic dumping grounds of discarded computers and gym shoes raise the question, "where do we go from here?" At the same time the Dark Stores have an almost apocalyptic quality signally and end a new beginning.

Brian Ulrich
Thrift and Dark Stores
May 28- July 3, 2009
Julie Saul Gallery
535 West 22 Street | 6th Floor | New York

If you haven't had a chance, have a look at his photo essay, Stores That Are No More, on TIME magazine's website. The essay features images from Brian's ongoing Copia series which "explore the haunted shells of America's devastated retail landscape".

Brian's website.