Bryan Steiff
(American, b. 1974; resides in Chicago, IL)
In his project, terraFutura (2003 - 2012), Bryan Steiff photographs his carefully fabricated models of landscapes. Discarded motherboards, computers, circuitry, extruded plastic, and other byproducts of technology manufacturing become the interlacing corridors of futuristic terrain. By omitting all human presence, Steiff offers a mixed portrayal of the future and suggests that humankind will lose control of subsequent technologies. However, a certain ambiguity pervades many of these meticulously constructed environments: terraFutura #22 appears worn with time and suggests impermanence, and terraFutura #16 appears serene which suggests harmony between the natural and the manufactured environment. Blending photography and sculpture, Steiff predicts the environmental impact of technological discoveries to come, and he contrasts this prediction with the comfort and optimism technology now brings to everyday life.
Born in Ohio, Bryan Steiff completed his BFA in Photography from Ohio State University (1999) and his MFA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago (2006). He was the artist-in-residence at the University of Chicago Laboratory School (2012) and his work has appeared in numerous group exhibitions across the United States. Steiff is adjunct professor of photography at Columbia College Chicago.
