Brendan Nyhan is an artist in New York who utilizes photography to explore landscape as an abstract concept. Nyhan’s photographs reveal an in-depth critique of the middle distance while looking forward into the unknown. Although the artist has worked briefly in portraiture, his attention remains connected to the distinctive character of far-flung, distant vistas.

The Blue Series from 2019 consists of four photographs that portray a fog-filled skyline around New York and Brooklyn. Within each image the city appears as a silhouette, submerged within a dense layer of blue that emerges from the clouds and water. More specific details appear in Nyhan’s most recent series titled Que Onde (2020) that shows a pervasive but empty tropical shoreline where clouds roll up from the water’s surface. Cresting waves guide a solitary surfer toward the beach. The figure appears as another small detail, far below from the camera.

Brandan Nyhan is interested in capturing the impression that is left by the notion of atmosphere, as well as atmosphere itself. However he is so keen on portraying this characteristic that he is willing to overfocus and make some images appear raw and grainy. Each one of Nyhan’s photographs reflect a concave curve within the sky that evolves into a momentary, fleeting context.