Dark / Phase, photographer Barry Goyette's new exhibit at Steynberg Gallery in San Luis Obispo represents a distinct departure from his recent photojournalistic journeys examining the people and cultures of Habana, Cuba and Kashmir, and a return to the conceptual approach he's best known for. Goyette's black and white photographs of plant silhouettes, nudes and tableau suggest a world under the influence of a mysterious 'night energy'. "As someone who "plays with light" for a living, I'm usually most interested in illuminating my subjects. But in this group of photos I spent my time lurking deeper and deeper in the shadows," says Goyette. "These are some of the darkest photos I've ever made, in their tonality but also figuratively. I think they're also some of the most beautiful and certainly the most emotional photographs I've ever produced."
