Selected Works

Born in 1967 in a small village in the south of Israel, Eitan Vitkon is an acclaimed contemporary photographer whose work has been exhibited and applauded worldwide.

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Born in 1967 in a small village in the south of Israel, Eitan Vitkon is an acclaimed contemporary photographer whose work has been exhibited and applauded worldwide. In 1996, Eitan moved to New York from Tel Aviv, to continue studying architecture, eventually receiving a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute in 1999. It was during his studies that he developed a passion for photography, using the camera to sustain a creative mental space away from the more demanding and often rigid architecture pursuits. His interest in urbanism and design from a physical and emotional standpoint inevitably spilled into his image making, culminating in what is now an impressive body of work spanning close to 15 years. The shift from architecture to photography was bound to happen – in essence, photography provides exaltation on a sustained level, whereas architecture’s exuberant lure seldom lasts past the conceptual stages. Now a seasoned artist, Vitkon’s visual lexicon shows significant shifts in perspective and subject matter over the years, although still preserving intact his reverence for form, the passing of time and most recently, his Israeli origins.

Vitkon’s first works effectively explored subjects through his unique perspective, using only a camera. In the subsequent years, Eitan’s self-taught visual language became his signature. This auto-didactic style has enabled movement from subject to subject while maintaining a continuous theme throughout. Over the course of the last fifteen years, Vitkon’s photography has gradually shifted from manipulating architectural landmarks and urban-landscapes to focusing on passage of time in fast-paced environments.

His latest body of work examines the energy of the moment by encapsulating time in urban centers, civic spaces, and city sidewalks. These lively still frames evoke both curiosity and confusion. Eitan’s work delves into the unmatched speed of urban life, where the realities of tranquility and chaos are oftentimes blurred.

Vitkon explains, “All work is pure photography and not computer generated. The manipulations on the images occur while shooting through the set of mirrors water, glass and chromed surfaces. The body of work is based on the notion of movement and duration. The subject matter, as well as the technical tool being the camera, are both challenged to their maximums. I am a painter and architect by training; however, I am drawn to the camera to achieve the timeless spatial territory between real and surreal. Each project begins with intensive observation, mostly urban landscape and architecture landmarks that unfold into a new self. By capturing moments and time, I seek hidden significance and intangible truths. My work strips the skin of reality into new time textures and depths of the surface we live in.”

ART FAIRS