Barry Perlus

Barry Perlus is an artist and educator who employs photography and digital imaging in his artistic practice. His work embodies a keen interest in observation and interpretation, using elements of scale, perspective, light, color, and abstraction to create new interpretations.

In recent projects, Perlus has been using panoramic imaging techniques as a departure from conventional pictorial space. With this approach, he developed a multimedia website about the large-scale astronomical observatories built in India by Jai Singh in the early 18th century. His long-standing interest in science has been an influence on other projects, including a current exploration of deep forest spaces at night.

Perlus received his M.F.A. in photography from Ohio University in 1984 and B.A. Undergraduate Scholar from Case Western Reserve University in 1972.

Academic Research/Specialty Areas

Photography

Awards, Grants, and Fellowships (Selected)

• Faculty Innovation in Technology Award, Cornell (2006, 2005)
• Graham Foundation for Advanced Study in Fine Arts Award (2005)
• Light Works 30th Annual Grants for Photography (2004)
• Cornell Council for the Arts Small Projects Grant (2004)
• International Works on Paper Exhibition Juror's Award (2003)

Exhibitions and Presentations (Selected)

• The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh, Stanley Center for the Arts, Utica, New York (2009)
• India Interpreted, two-person exhibition, Kirkland Art Center, Clinton, New York (2008)
• 61st Exhibition of Central New York Artists, Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, New York (2008)

Publications (Selected)

• Stellarium.org, panoramic image of the Jantar Mantar at New Delhi developed collaboratively as a landscape for use in conjunction with Stellarium's sky viewing software (2008)
• "Observatories: Curated by Emma Reeves," image of the Jantar Mantar at New Delhi included in this portfolio of images of observatories around the world, Another
• Magazine (autumn/winter 2006)
• "Jantar Mantar: The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh," a multimedia project-in-progress in: proceedings of the "VAST International Symposium on Virtual Reality and Cultural Heritage" (2005)