Mitchell Freifeld
Portland, Oregon
Artist Mitchell Freifeld depicts architecture that evokes memory and nostalgia. Using a modernist approach, he highlights details that often fade into the background of familiarity. With his camera, he meticulously documents the world around him, using his shots as a reference for his art. "My works are the product of a process that is more intuitive than intellectual and a passion for simple, modern architecture and light," says Mitchell. After winning his first juried show at 10, Mitchell's lifelong dream of becoming a full-time artist took root. A pivotal moment in 2001 prompted him to seize the chance and devote himself to art-making. Now, he dedicates most of his time to a compact studio within his garage in Portland, Oregon. Mitchell's life revolves entirely around his creative pursuits, taking pictures, and working seven days a week with paints and brushes.
Artist Statement
My current interest is history. Mid-century Modern architecture and looking back at things that are ordinary but might be gone now. The Mid-century style ranges from the utilitarian to the "Googie." Modernism was the last expressive design and architectural movement. Now we refer back to it as a golden age. We don’t really miss the lost monumental structures as much as we miss the little diner that was on the corner. So often we're not really conscience of a place we loved it until it’s gone. The same is true of things in our lives that are now obsolete, victims of advances in technology, or just changing ways. Photography long ago took on the burden of exact depiction freeing the realism painter to explore varying perspectives and compositions that wouldn't exist except on the canvas.