Starting Life in Another World - available in 3 sizes
Cara Barer is an internationally acclaimed American photographer celebrated for her distinctive abstract photography of books and printed materials. Her work explores the evolving role of the book in the digital age, transforming discarded volumes into striking sculptural forms captured through the lens.
Through an innovative sculpting process using curling irons, clothespins, water, and intricate folds, Barer reshapes outdated and irrelevant books into intricate, coiled, and crumpled compositions. These altered objects are then photographed, giving them a renewed presence as fine art photography prints. The result is a compelling fusion of sculpture and photography, where texture, color, and form converge into mesmerizing abstract imagery.
Barer’s work is both conceptual and visually dynamic, offering a poetic commentary on knowledge, memory, and obsolescence. Her recent series expands on this exploration by incorporating books bound with sheet music, wallpaper, and personal travel imagery, creating layered narratives within each piece. These vibrant compositions appeal to collectors of contemporary photography, abstract art, and mixed-media inspired works.
Since 1994, Cara Barer has exhibited widely across the United States and Canada in both solo and group exhibitions. Her work has been featured in prominent publications such as New York Magazine, The Washington Post, Harper’s Magazine, The Boston Globe, and The New Yorker. Her photographs are held in major corporate and institutional collections, including Bloomingdale’s, Saks, Lehigh University, Nordstrom, the United States Embassy in Kyiv, VISA, Wells Fargo Bank, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Based in Houston, Texas, Barer continues to push the boundaries of contemporary abstract photography, redefining how we perceive books as both physical objects and cultural symbols.
The artist's sharp, graphic photographs are printed and mounted with archival materials and are presented framed; frames measure 0.75 inches wide and 1.5 - 2 inches deep.
UV70 glass on 48 X 48; other editions sizes utilize glass.
Prices are subject to change as the editions sell out.
