Brad Temkin
(American, b.1956; resides in Chicago, IL)
Brad Temkin continues his long-held interest in exploring the human impact on contemporary landscapes by documenting urban rooftop gardens and green roofs in his series Rooftop (2009-2010). These gardens function to reduce the adverse environmental impact of many buildings, and though usually invisible and inaccessible to the general public, they contain an unexpected beauty while visually contrasting the surrounding urban skyline. Temkin states, “I am building a compendium of photographs that will show the significance and positive effects of green roofs and rooftop gardens while revealing their function and visual sanctuary.”
Temkin completed an MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1981) and a BFA from Ohio University (1979). His photographs have been exhibited at the Chicago Cultural Center; Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR; Dali International Photography Festival, China; and Stephen Daiter Gallery, Chicago. His work is part of several collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Milwaukee Art Museum, Akron Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Ilford Photo Corporation. A monograph of Temkin’s work, Private Places: Photographs of Chicago Gardens was published in 2005. Temkin is currently on faculty at Columbia College Chicago.
