Cabin Fever with Ruben Natal-San Miguel
Some people have used the quarantine’s isolation as an opportunity to slow down and unwind. Ruben Natal-San Miguel isn’t one of those people: the Harlem-based photographer’s artistic output remains as prolific as ever despite everything that’s going on in the world. As the pandemic grew in severity and New York shut down, as did the opening for his ongoing solo show at Postmasters Gallery, he shot a photo series themed around the then-novel concept of social distancing. He also curated four simultaneous Spring-themed online exhibitions at Treat Gallery, The Center for Photography at Woodstock, Gallery 52, and here with Arcade Project Curatorial.
Now that he’s spending more time indoors, he has turned his camera inward on his personal space and the various items it contains. Natal-San Miguel’s new series, “Still Life & Alive”, features photos of tapestries, artworks, vases, and flowers from the artist’s home arranged into colorful, dramatic tableaux. Here are five selections from it, along with the artist’s observations on the objects that make up each piece and the little stories and anecdotes behind them.
Ruben Natal-San Miguel, It is A Wonderful World (Still Life & Alive). Manhattan, NYC. Sunday May 3, 2020. 6:15PM ( 73 Degrees). Image courtesy of the artist.
“Using things from around the house, I created my new Still Life & Alive series with found personal objects. This one was made with one of my bathroom towels, a lovely Jonathan Adler vase that he gave me himself as a Christmas gift in 1997, and a flowered stem from Central Park . Shot outdoors with natural light on my balcony.”
Ruben Natal-San Miguel, DELIRIUM (Still Life & Alive). Manhattan, NYC. Sunday May 3, 2020. 6:37PM ( 73 Degrees). Image courtesy of the artist.
“This piece features a Calvin Klein cashmere throw, ink-block letters bought at the former Chelsea Flea Market making the word ''DELIRIUM'', with the extended ''I'' being a lovely terrazzo vase that it is one of my favorites, and, of course, a flowered branch from Central Park . I love the word ''DELIRIUM '' because it summarizes my current of the state of mind during COVID-19 . Shot outdoors with natural light on my balcony.“
Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Abstract Life for Abstract Times (Still Life & Alive). Manhattan, NYC. Monday May 11, 2020. 6:47PM ( 53 Degrees). Image courtesy of the artist.
“This one was made with a colorful modern abstract diptych painting created in 1999 by Ruben Natal-San Miguel (yes, I used to paint before 9/11), a chocolate brown Jonathan Adler ceramic vase and some cut flowered branches. Shot outdoors with natural light on my balcony.”
Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Skinned (Still Life & Alive). Manhattan, NYC. Tuesday May 12, 2020. 6:32PM (58 Degrees). Image courtesy of the artist.
“This one was made with a living room chocolate/caramel brown cowhide skin rug (Sorry, PETA!), a white ceramic glazed vase bought ages ago in SoHo, and some cut flowering branches. Shot outdoors with natural light on my balcony windowsill.“
Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Spring Offerings (Still Life & Alive). Manhattan, NYC. Wednesday May 13, 2020. 6:57PM (62 Degrees). Image courtesy of the artist.
“This is one of my own portrait photographs of a Black male with vitiligo skin. This one has yet to reach the celebration and fame of the Mama (female with vitiligo) portrait, but in my opinion it has the same value and impact. it has been admired by collectors and some curators but, other than being exhibited at The Center for Photography at Woodstock solo show exactly a year ago (selected by Hannah Frieser) it has not seen much light of day. I re-shot it here with a vase bought in SoHo ages ago and a cut flowering branch that I picked up near the Central Park ravine just thirty minutes prior. Shot outdoors with natural light on my balcony windowsill.”
