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See the fruits
of labor of a passionate grower of heirloom tomatoes. |
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An Exhibition of Photographs by Victor Schrager
Portraits of Historic Tomato Varieties from
the Gardens of Amy Goldman
August 12, 2008--August 30, 2009
In the Arthur and Janet Ross Gallery
Image Gallery
Thirty-four glorious color portraits of heirloom tomatoes--a sampling of the amazing 500 varieties grown every year in the garden of acclaimed food writer Amy Goldman--pay homage to the heirloom tomato and the talents of photographer Victor Schrager, whose work harkens back to the great tradition of botanical art and illustration.
The images include artfully arranged still lifes such as Amy's Theorem, a tabletop display of tomatoes of every hue, shape, and size brimming from serving dishes, goblets, and spoons with a lushness reminiscent of an Old Master painting. Cherry Group, an arrangement of cherry tomatoes in a rainbow of shades, evokes a festive holiday display of brightly colored ornaments. Sweet Pea Currant is sparser, almost lyrical in composition. Big Ben and Constoluto Genovese capture the monumental voluptuousness and sensuality of hefty beefsteak tomatoes.
Victor Schrager's award-winning work has been exhibited in numerous collections, galleries, and museums around the world, including the Whitney Museum of American Art. An exhibition of his monumental photographs of heirloom squashes and melons was on display from September 2007 to July 2008 also in the Ross Gallery. He has been a frequent contributor to Martha Stewart Living and House & Garden magazines, and he has photographed for numerous books.
The heirloom specimens portrayed in this exhibition were grown by Amy Goldman, Ph.D., a self-described "vegetable rights activist" who works to preserve the agricultural heritage and genetic diversity of the world's fruits and vegetables. Every summer Dr. Goldman grows hundreds of different varieties of heirloom vegetables at her farm in Rhinebeck, in New York's Hudson Valley. Dr. Goldman serves on the boards of the Seed Savers Exchange, the New York Restoration Project, and The New York Botanical Garden.
The heirloom tomato is the subject, as well, of Dr. Goldman's latest publishing collaboration with Mr. Schrager--The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table. The book features 200 heirloom varieties selected from 1,000 grown and tested by the author and offers the pedigrees of the tomatoes along with data regarding size, weight, type, brix scale (sweetness), and seed source. Many of the seeds tested have been passed down through generations, which occasions the telling of some very charming vignettes of the people involved in developing and preserving the seeds. The book, which also includes 55 delectable recipes showcasing the versatility of the tomato, is available through Shop in the Garden along with two others by Dr. Goldman and Mr. Schrager: Melons for the Passionate Grower (2002) and The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds (2004).
Also available in the Shop is a series of stunning, limited-edition bronze sculptures by Dr. Goldman titled "Rare Forms." Created through the "lost wax" process, they capture the allure of the marvelous shapes of heirloom fruits, including a luscious tomato named Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter.
Exhibitions in the Arthur and Janet Ross Gallery are made possible by support from the Arthur and Janet Ross Fund.
All photographs appear courtesy of Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York City.
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