Brian Oglesbee

Brian Oglesbee (b. 1951) has been interested in photography since the age of twelve. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and his work has since been acquired by major institutions including the George Eastman Museum, the International Center of Photography, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, Switzerland. In the 1980s, Oglesbee became known for his series of color photographs of room interiors. These carefully constructed scenes, rendered in rich but controlled hues, reflected his imaginative engagement with space, perception, and surrealist undertones. In later years, he turned his attention to black and white film, exploring elemental themes through his Figure/Foliage and Water Series, both shot using large-format cameras. Oglesbee’s water-based works, in particular, are notable for their precision and clarity, created entirely in-camera without post-production manipulation. His images often blur the line between human and natural forms, evoking a sense of mystery and reverence. “I think art reflects on the undefinable nature of life and our place in nature,” Oglesbee has said. “I hope viewers would be moved to feel something of that mystery.”