David Maisel

David Maisel (American, b. 1961) Terminal Mirage 32 2003 Archival inkjet print 10 x 10 inch image on 11 x 14 inch paper Signed edition of 50 David Maisel is interested in the dialectic balance between what is seen on the surface of a photograph, the complex reality that lies beneath, and how beauty can suggest the ideal while obscuring the often darker side of a subject. In his project Terminal Mirage, Maisel intentionally obscures the function, location, scale, and condition of his subject: the Great Salt Lake. The lake's most distinctive aspect is its richness in sodium, magnesium, potassium, chloride, and sulfate, all of which contribute to the ever-changing physical attributes of the lake. However, industry also plays a heavy role in the lake's appearance as evaporation ponds are commercially operated to extract salts and minerals for industrial use. David Maisel was born in New York City in 1961. He received his BA from Princeton University, and his MFA from California College of