Posted on
2025-11-17
Organized in reverse chronology, the exhibition moves from Misrach’s recent series Cargo, a meditation on global trade and its environmental and human costs, to his early 1970s project Telegraph 3 A.M., which captured Berkeley’s street culture in the aftermath of the counterculture movement. Together, the works form a compelling portrait of an artist who has continually balanced social engagement with formal and aesthetic inquiry.
Across film, digital, and large-scale prints, Misrach’s photography embraces both technical experimentation and emotional resonance. His images of freighter ships illuminated by sunrise hues of pink and violet in San Francisco Bay reflect a fascination with beauty as a vehicle for deeper reflection. As Misrach has stated, beauty can compel viewers to confront issues they might otherwise turn away from. This balance between allure and unease runs throughout his practice, from his haunting documentation of the U.S.-Mexico border wall and Louisiana’s polluted Cancer Alley to his meditative seascapes and desert landscapes. Each image captures a world suspended between stillness and consequence.
Opposite – Untitled (Saguaro #3), 1975
Exhibition runs through to December 20th, 2025
Fraenkel Gallery
49 Geary Street
San Francisco
CA 94108
fraenkelgallery.com
