"Melissa Fleming: /Colors of Byzantium/"
2004-06-01 until 2004-07-03
Soho Photo
New York, NY, USA United States of America

The people of the Byzantine Empire thought of gold as condensed light from the sun. To them, it became a symbol of truth and glory. The opulence of Byzantine art with its extravagant use of gold is well known. The artist was drawn to its luxurious color schemes and jewel like hues. The glittering mosaics and icons of this period were inspirational to her, not for their subject matter but rather for their use of color and precious stones. Artists of that time developed new techniques using natural materials to convey their ideas of faith through art. This body of work reverses this concept by taking nature and color as the subject.

Colors of Byzantium is about observing the rich golden tones of Byzantine art in a modern fashion in the natural world. The majority of these photographs were taken as reflections of golden color in water to gain a flat dark background, similar to the old icons.

Ms. Fleming's work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in as assortment of galleries and museums. Her photographs are in the corporate collection of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and private collections across the United States. She had given lectures, authored articles on art and photography, and curated exhibitions. Ms. Fleming and her work have also been the subjects of articles in various publications, including Gallery & Studio and Organic Style. 

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for the State of New York

Other Important Exhibitions in New York