The Visual Poetry of Christopher Burkett
originally posted September 1998
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Visiting Carmel-By-The-Sea two-years ago [1996], I strolled leisurely past the windows of the small shops,
enjoying the spring afternoon and the quiet, ordered elegance that is uniquely Carmel. Turning down
Dolores Street , I entered Photography West, home to Adams, Weston, Caponigro and other luminaries of
the black and white print. Surrounded by acclaimed, 20th century masters of composition and dark room
wizardry, what I recollect most from that day is how enchanted I was by another photographer whose work I
had never heard of yet whose startling, full-color prints caught me by surprise - Christopher Burkett.
Viewing a Christopher Burkett print is like seeing creation on the first mid-morning of the first day. Standing
before one of his 20x24" or 30x40" prints can lead to an epiphany, an experience that carries with it a fresh,
emotional and imaginative way of seeing nature and photography anew. Some skeptics, upon first viewing
Burkett's prints, wonder if he uses digital enhancement to bring out the luminescent colors and rich tonality
of his prints. He doesn't.
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Marcelina Mountain Aspen, Colorado
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Each work is painstakingly hand printed from an original 8"x10" transparency. Burkett earned the ability to
create such prints the long way - through patience, persistence and diligence - and his journey to a position
of international acclaim and growing visibility as one of the world's premier color photographers and
printmakers began in a rather curious manner, in a place of contemplation and of quiet, inconspicuous
service.
In the 1970's Burkett was a brother in a Christian order when he became interested in photography as "a
means of expressing the grace, light and beauty" he witnessed in nature. His initial format was black and
white and he purchased his supplies from the small allowance given him by the order.
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I started out in black and white. I was still in the order when I started
photography and I had five dollars a week. So I did black and white. Black
and white is a good place to start even if you're going to end up in color.
I started with 2 1/4. I ended up leaving the order to pursue my photography.
Then I started thinking about color. I realized that they are such different
mediums that I had to concentrate on one or the other because in order
to really work effectively you have to work within the parameters of that small
box we mentioned. So I set all my work out and looked at it as a group and
what I saw with the color was that there was more exuberance. The sense
of vitality that I felt was better conveyed in color than black and white.
I love black and white photography. It's extraordinary. But to me, some of
that getting-your-hands into life feeling is all about color. - CB
(excerpt from an interview between Christopher Burkett and John Paul Caponigro in View
Camera Magazine, Sept/Oct. 1997, © 1997 View Camera Magazine)
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In 1979 Burkett left the order, married his wife, Ruth, and began devoting himself full-time to color
photography. He apprenticed in the offset printing business, learning to operate four-color presses and
laser scanners. The knowledge gained during this time, years spent learning the fundamental principles
involved in reproducing color and tone, gradually evolved into a mastery of the sophisticated art of printing
in color.
Today, elements from the journey - his years as a member of a Christian order, his apprenticeship as an
offset printer, his decades-long pursuit of an understanding of color and color printing - infuse both his view
of photography as a means of seeing the world anew as well as the striking Cibachrome prints hanging in
fine art galleries around the world.
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Photography is an expression of the world we live in and of what we see and
experience. Many contemporary photographs seem filled with negativity and
warped, malignant things. That these negative things and perceptions exist now
for a time in the world with us is indisputable, but I feel strongly that there
is no need to give life and strength to them. Too often, attempting to represent
the sacred in nature is maligned as being naive or simplistic, and is said to
be unchallenging and visually unsophisticated. This need not be so. - CB
© 1998 Christopher Burkett
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Burkett's work is finding appeal amongst a growing list of admirers and collectors. Today (Sept 98), at
Photography West, several of his prints occupy nearly all of the largest wall. Only Ansel Adams and the
Weston's, each of whom have their own small rooms, are given more prominent treatment.
Currently, there are eighteen galleries that carry Burkett's work, including one of the most storied of all, the
Ansel Adams Gallery in The Village Mall, Yosemite National Park, http://www.adamsgallery.com.
At the time of this writing, Chris and Ruth were preparing to attend an opening of his work at The Alinder
Gallery in Gualala, California (http://www.alindergallery.com). A full listing of galleries plus a wide selection of
his prints and additional information can be found at his web site: http://www.christopherburkett.com/.
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The fine print is much more than a mere reproduction of an image. It is the
culmination of the inspiration and vision of the photographer. It is the clearest,
most direct and powerful form of the image, and has the ability to move
beyond words, ideas, and concepts to touch and move the viewer in the
most direct and immediate way. In its highest form, the fine print can be a
transparent vehicle, boldly communicating with whispers and suggestions of
worlds previously unseen and unknown.
"No other form of the image can convey as powerfully the subtleties, the
presence and the luminosity which can exist in the fine print. The fine print is,
in actuality, the culmination of the photographic creative process; each print
can legitimately be considered an original work of art."
(Christopher Burkett, from Photographic Printing, http://www.christopherburkett.com/indexb.html)
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In hindsight, I believe the elements I observed in Christopher Burkett's prints that spring afternoon two years
ago is identical to what many are discovering now that his work is becoming widely available - a sense of the
transcendent, of service to ideals greater than the mere exposing of particles on film. Get to know his work.
In time, purchase a print to enhance your home. Perhaps you'll discover, as I did, the wonder of creation
through the camera and printing mastery of a visual poet.
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The world untouched and undefiled by man is one of indescribable beauty
and wonder: a world filled with light and peace. The miracle of life unfolds
before our eyes, and is seen in the tapestry of creation. All of our world,
each living cell, every stone and drop of water, even the air and light
around us, reflects and mirrors the glory and presence of the Creator
and calls us to respond with wonder and praise. - CB
© 1998 Christopher Burkett
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© Copyright 1998, 2011 Tom Mark Gilbert and Creekwalker LLC. All rights reserved.
All photography © Christopher Burkett.
All quotations © 1998, 2011 Christopher Burkett. All rights reserved.
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