Vermeer Light: Collection of Large Scale Photographs | SF

Submitted by the Event Organizer

Four Barrel Coffee is proud to present “Vermeer Light,” the debut show from local photographer Sonya Yu. An established commercial photographer, Sonya Yu is making an impressive entrance into the fine art sector with this collection of large scale (32”x48”) photographs. The work draws on historical context, using classical still life arrangements and natural light to comment on both the possibilities of photography and paint, as well as the perception of the viewer. This exhibition opens Friday, August 21st with a reception from 6-8pm. The exhibit will be on view until October 1st, 2015.
Sonya Yu’s work captures the light & tonality that has transfixed artists and viewers for millennia. Inspired by the artwork of Dutch master painter Johannes Vermeer, whose 17th century paintings possessed such photorealistic qualities that critics speculated the use of mechanical aid from optical technology, Sonya’s creative process departs from the modern digital age by stringently employing analog techniques. Shooting with medium format film and paying further homage to the Dutch master, Yu’s studio conditions echo Vermeer’s, so as to meticulously emulate the same natural light. The result is a work that incites an ambiguity in the viewer’s eyes, provoking momentary rumination of whether the pieces are painting or photography. Yu’s work offers a retreat from today’s culture of instant gratification and instills an impetus to immerse oneself in a more intentional and bucolic process. Sonya Yu, a Bay Area native, currently lives and works in San Francisco.

Four Barrel is a cafe and coffee roastery that has been supporting artists with exhibitions since 2008. This exhibition is free and open to the public. Four Barrel Coffee is located at 375 Valencia Street in San Francisco, and is open daily from 7am until 8pm. Sonya Yu may be reached at info@sonyayu.com, and Four Barrel may be reached at art@fourbarrelcoffee.com.

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