Brian Ulrich

I've been interested in this Chicago photographer for a while, having first seen him via 20x200 but shortly afterward I found his work frequently in the New York Times. His series of photographs of empty big box retailers, dark stores, and dead malls is a moving and ghostly reminder of the dark side of our consumerism. By shooting these huge retail spaces with no life, no activity, he reveals their hollow nothingness and the great expense of land and resources that they represent. Artifacts of little boxes and gadgets. You can see more of Brian's work from these series currently on Time.com or click here and look for a 2009 show at Julie Saul gallery in New York, another favorite stop of mine Julie also carries Maira Kalman's glorious art. I was lucky enough to meet and work with Brian on our recent house shoot for ReadyMade magazine and I love his pictures.