MIKE & DOUG STARN Wetterling Gallery 2002, 2005

This striking exhibition poster was created for the 2004–2005 exhibition of works by Mike and Doug Starn at Wetterling Gallery. Known internationally for their large-scale photographic works that blur the boundaries between photography, sculpture, installation, and conceptual art, the Starn twins have long explored themes of identity, impermanence, duality, and human vulnerability.

The composition presents a dramatic black-and-white portrait rendered with stark tonal contrast and extraordinary graphic clarity. The image is divided between deep shadow and luminous light, creating a visual tension that recalls both classic photographic portraiture and contemporary conceptual imagery. The sitter’s direct gaze and introspective expression lend the work an almost cinematic presence, while the fractured balance between light and darkness reflects the artists’ ongoing fascination with opposites—presence and absence, fragility and strength, individuality and universality.

Throughout their career, Mike and Doug Starn challenged conventional photographic practice by embracing imperfection, physical process, and material experimentation. Their works often incorporate tearing, layering, weathering, and monumental scale, transforming photography into an object rather than a purely reproductive medium. Even in this restrained exhibition image, the artists’ sensitivity to texture, atmosphere, and emotional immediacy is unmistakable.

The minimalist typography and expansive negative space reinforce the poster’s contemporary aesthetic, allowing the portrait to dominate visually while maintaining the refined graphic language associated with important European gallery exhibitions of the early 2000s. Printed in the pre-digital transition era, the poster retains the richness and depth characteristic of high-quality offset production.

A compelling and highly decorative exhibition poster, ideal for collectors of contemporary photography, conceptual portraiture, and museum-quality gallery ephemera. Particularly appealing to admirers of the Starn brothers’ influential contribution to contemporary photographic art.

Framing available upon request.