In Cascades, the artist merges photography, painting, and assemblage to explore and reimagine the Cascade Head Preserve on the Oregon Coast. Their process is both cyclical and immersive, blending time in the field with work in the studio.
The work begins with time in the landscape — walking the trails, observing plants, gathering natural materials, and taking photographs. In the studio, these elements are used to build temporary, altar-like arrangements that combine printed photos, natural objects, and acrylic paint. The artist lights and photographs these constructions in ways that distort depth and dimension, making them feel both real and surreal. These photographs may then be painted on or incorporated into new installations, continuing the cycle.
This recursive process layers perspectives and materials, creating vibrant, multi-dimensional images that challenge perception — what’s a photo, what’s real, what’s painted? That ambiguity is intentional. It mirrors the layered, dynamic complexity of the natural world and invites viewers to slow down and look more closely.
Inspired by nature’s own rhythms and interconnections, each piece in Cascades grows from the one before. Photography leads to assemblage, which leads to painting, which circles back to photography. Throughout, the heart of the work remains the same: a deep, sensory engagement with place.
Artist Bio:
Chris Lael Larson (b. 1976, Ohio, USA) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Portland, Oregon, USA. Working across photography, painting, and installation, Larson is best known for his contemporary interpretation of Fauvist-inspired Cubism, marked by layered perspectives, a bold use of color, and an emphasis on depth. His practice centers on constructing temporary, altar-like installations from photographs, paint, found objects, and natural elements, which he then captures in a hyperreal lighting style. These photographs often become canvases themselves, painted upon and reintegrated into new installations alongside their original source materials.
Larson’s work engages viewers through the interplay of multiple viewpoints and the physical presence of the subject’s material elements, creating a deeper, more tactile connection. Characterized by complexity and intentional layering, his practice challenges the boundaries between media and form. His 2024 installation Beginner Nudes at Spring/Break was a breakthrough project, presenting an immersive environment that dissolved the divisions between painting, photography, and installation. The work’s success led to consecutive exhibitions, reinforcing his position as an artist pushing interdisciplinary dialogue in contemporary practice.
Chris Lael Larson has exhibited at the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Carnation Contemporary, Nationale (all in Portland, USA), Specialist (Seattle, USA), Field Projects (New York, USA), and Red Cat (Los Angeles, USA). His work is held in notable collections, including Soho House Portland (USA) and the collection of Christopher Rauschenberg (USA). He has participated in Spring/Break (Los Angeles, USA), the Seattle Art Fair (Seattle, USA), the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology (Oregon, USA), and programs with the Regional Arts and Culture Council (Portland, USA).
