Chris Engman

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles-based photographer Chris Engman spent his earlier years with an appreciation for nature, art, and travel. Throughout his undergraduate career Engman continued to travel from his studio in Seattle to the desert landscapes in eastern Washington, Oregon, and Nevada, collecting materials and building photography sets in Seattle and relocating them to the desert.

Over the past two decades, Engman has dedicated his art to understanding how images deceive the eye and the human need to make sense of visual perception. Engman’s photography, at first glance, appears normal, yet, under careful examination, viewers become aware of the optical illusion and begin to question the constructed image. Engman’s twenty-year practice is grounded in research and conceptual thought. He documents remnants of labor and the juxtaposition of human material and vast landscape through sculpture and photography. He explains, “My constructions are not sculptures in the traditional sense. They’re just vehicles to reveal a process that is focused on experiencing time and understanding what photographs do – or don’t do. . .”

Chris Engman was born in Seattle, WA. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California. He earned an MFA from the University of Southern California in 2013, and a BFA from the University of Washington in 2003. His work has been shown widely in the United States and Europe including at Luis De Jesus Los Angeles, Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle, Henry Art Gallery, The Seattle Art Museum, Institute for Contemporary Art in San Jose, Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Clair Gallerie in Munich, 68 Projects in Berlin, Project B in Milan, and Flowers Gallery in London. His work is featured in numerous public and private collections including Orange County Art Museum, The Henry Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Houston Fine Arts Museum, Covington Library, Microsoft, and the Elton John Collection. Engman is represented by Luis De Jesus Los Angeles and in Seattle by Greg Kucera Gallery.