An abstract composition of bold, intersecting planes of colour. A bright yellow surface angles across the top left, meeting a deep blue and pale turquoise void, while a textured green panel frames the right side.

Photography: Erin O'Keefe explores still-life trickery in new series

Words: Rob Alderson
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Date: 22 January 2014; Work
Art
Photography

At times we are all guilty of being in thrall to bright colours. That’s no criticism; our brains seem to be hardwired to find them uplifting, and on first glance it was precisely this that drew me to Erin O’Keefe’s latest work. But I was excited to discover the heavyweight conceptual ideas that underpin these gorgeous visuals; eye-candy schm-eye candy!

As Erin explains this series “explores the tendency of the camera to flatten pictorial space, and as a result, foster ambiguous spatial readings…There is a fertile tension between the compressed space of the image and the visual clues that allude to the dimensionality of the still-life. The camera is the agent of uncertainty that invites seeing as both an intimate and critical exercise.”

The pictures are comprised of painted plywood, printed Photoshop gradients and photographs to produce results as beautiful as they are bamboozling.

A 3D render of two overlapping rectangular planes with black and white gradients. The top plane features horizontal waves, while the bottom plane shows vertical stripes, set against a yellow and pink background. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

An abstract installation of geometric shapes and bold colours. A bright yellow floor meets a wall featuring a red-to-orange gradient and a blue-painted section with a white circular cutout. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

A white rectangular block with a circular cutout sits on a light wood base. It is positioned against a background of bold red and blue colour blocks. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

An abstract composition of geometric shapes and colours. A grey draped fabric print stands vertically against a bright red background and a blue gradient plane, intersected by a thin yellow and red line. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

A folded piece of card with a pink to white gradient stands against a split background. One side is teal and the other is dark grey, resting on a bright yellow surface. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

An abstract composition of intersecting geometric planes in bold colours. Flat surfaces of red, blue, yellow and light blue overlap to create a sense of depth and architectural space. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

A thin red rod leans diagonally across a bright yellow and pink corner. Below it, a square piece of crumpled silver foil features a large, smooth circular cutout. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

An abstract painting of a geometric interior featuring sharp angles and bold colours. A yellow wall and blue floor lead into a bright white opening, framed by a textured green background. — Above
Erin O’Keefe: The Flatness

Further Info

www.erinokeefe.com

About the Author

Rob Alderson

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Rob Alderson is a freelance writer, editor and strategist. He was previously editor-in-chief of It’s Nice That and WePresent, and editor of Design Week. He publishes the newsletter Undo, which tries to make sense of how AI is changing design work, the design process and the design industry.

Photography: Erin O'Keefe explores still-life trickery in new series

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