One Hour Exposures Capture Active Motion in Museums

La Joconde—Salle des Etats, Le Louvre

La Joconde—Salle des Etats, Le Louvre

As visitors zip in and out of museums and exhibits around the world, the consistent presence of the artwork is all that remains still. Photographer Matthew Pillsbury documents this active motion using his signature style which features long exposures and natural light. In his series, entitled Time Frame, the details of the interior space and architecture remain still and crisp while the blur of people move in and out of the frame.

His unique aesthetic is produced by using a large format 8×10 camera and exposures that range from minutes to hours. The black and white images allow viewers to see the space as permanent within the composition while the subjects are merely indistinct, ghostly memories of the past. Pillsbury translates hours into one single photograph and he says, “That’s what I love about photography. It’s anchored in reality, but it sees things in a way that we don’t see ourselves.”

Looking at the Corner Tate Modern, London

Looking at the Corner Tate Modern, London

Diplodocus Museum of Natural History

Diplodocus Museum of Natural History

Jellyfish, Coney Island Aquarium

Jellyfish, Coney Island Aquarium

Self portrait contemplating Wapiti, Museum of Natural History

Self portrait contemplating Wapiti, Museum of Natural History

La Sainte Chapelle

La Sainte Chapelle

La Victoire de Samothrace, Musée du Louvre

La Victoire de Samothrace, Musée du Louvre

Le Grand Foyer, Opera National de Paris, Palais Garnier

Le Grand Foyer, Opera National de Paris, Palais Garnier

Institute du Monde Arabe, Paris

Institute du Monde Arabe, Paris

The unveiling of Titian’s presentation of Mary, Gallerie dell’Accademia

The unveiling of Titian’s presentation of Mary, Gallerie dell’Accademia

Matthew Pillsbury: Website
via [Arpeggia]

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