In the series of color photographs, the artist eliminates the traditional curve of the photographic lens to reveal a perfect, true-to-scale photographic image. McMakin has created a system in which the found objects are photographed sometimes over 100 times and then digitally overlaid so that the resulting composite image is without 3-point perspective. They have no firm point-of-view, which also means that every line in the photograph is perfectly straight. In other words, these photos are an attempt to be as true to the actual objects that they possibly could be.

In attempting to reveal the precise details of the objects, McMakin also reveals the fallibility of the photographer and his systematic process. As with McMakin’s sculptural works, these imperfections are not hidden but are instead embraced.

McMakin’s creative process not only brings humor, but also a graceful simplicity to the confines of photography. Though we all know the medium is capable of capturing the world around us, photographs are often pregnant with the artist’s imperfect hand and thus are incapable of neutrally showing us reality. With Actual, McMakin is both embracing and defying this aspect of the medium. He exposes what is a wonderfully noble, but ultimately failed gesture, that being how photography is flawed: it cannot actually capture the true essence of an object even though it might strive to. Therefore, the viewer is left to question their own subjective/objective relationship to objects and the world around them.

Additionalimages of work in the show will be posted shortly.

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The Portland Art Museum has inaugurated their APEX program with Roy McMakin's exhibition titled paintings with chairs & sculptures of chairs on view through Jan 14, 2007. Please see the Portland Art Museum’s website for more information: http://www.pam.org/

A Dutch Oven¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 30” x 25” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	A Dutch Oven¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 30” x 25” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	A Dutch Oven¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 30” x 25” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7
A Dutch Oven¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 30” x 25” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	A Dutch Oven¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 30” x 25” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	A Dutch Oven¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 30” x 25” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7
Roy McMakin A Child’s Angel Food Cake¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 14 ½” x 12” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Child’s Angel Food Cake¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 14 ½” x 12” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Child’s Angel Food Cake¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 14 ½” x 12” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin A Child’s Angel Food Cake¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 14 ½” x 12” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Child’s Angel Food Cake¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 14 ½” x 12” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Child’s Angel Food Cake¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 14 ½” x 12” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin A Green Dresser¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 43 ¾” x 43” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	Roy McMakin A Green Dresser¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 43 ¾” x 43” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	Roy McMakin A Green Dresser¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 43 ¾” x 43” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7
Roy McMakin A Green Dresser¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 43 ¾” x 43” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	Roy McMakin A Green Dresser¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 43 ¾” x 43” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7	Roy McMakin A Green Dresser¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 43 ¾” x 43” Suite of 6 Ed. of 7
Roy McMakin A Jeff Mitchell Vase¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 16” x 11 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Jeff Mitchell Vase¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 16” x 11 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Jeff Mitchell Vase¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 16” x 11 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin A Jeff Mitchell Vase¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 16” x 11 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Jeff Mitchell Vase¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 16” x 11 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin A Jeff Mitchell Vase¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 16” x 11 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin Toy Kitchen Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 10” x 8 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Toy Kitchen Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 10” x 8 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Toy Kitchen Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 10” x 8 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin Toy Kitchen Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 10” x 8 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Toy Kitchen Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 10” x 8 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Toy Kitchen Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 10” x 8 ½” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin Salesman’s Sample Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 12 ½” x 10” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Salesman’s Sample Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 12 ½” x 10” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Salesman’s Sample Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 12 ½” x 10” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15
Roy McMakin Salesman’s Sample Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 12 ½” x 10” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Salesman’s Sample Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 12 ½” x 10” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15	Roy McMakin Salesman’s Sample Cabinet¸ 2006 Lambda type c-print 12 ½” x 10” Suite of 6 Ed. of 15