BIOGRAPHY
Based in Malibu, California, Eric Myer specializes in location and portrait photography for advertising, editorial, corporate and fine art assignments. His work has taken him on assignments worldwide and has been honored by American Photo, Graphis, Communication Arts, the Art Directors’ Clubs in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, and many others.
Eric attended UCLA and is a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He has been on the Art Center faculty as an instructor and scholarship advisory board member and has served as a board member of the American Photographic Artists, Los Angeles Chapter. Eric has also served on the board and as chairman of the Malibu Cultural Arts Commission.
Throughout Eric’s career he has always been fascinated with subcultures. His portfolio includes portraits of Congolese orchestra musicians, Las Vegas tourists, platinum miners, Burning Man participants, Zuma Beach visitors, “Mall Rats” and others.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The inspiration for Malibu After began a few days after the Woolsey Fire, which burned through my home town of Malibu in November of 2018. This firestorm destroyed more than 80% of the wildlife habitat of the Santa Monica Mountains and claimed three lives. It forced the evacuation of almost 300,000 people, destroyed over 1600 structures, 22 of which were in my immediate neighborhood. My concept was to capture the aftermath of the devastation before the debris was cleared.
Amidst the ruins of 42 destroyed homes, I created ultra-high-resolution panoramic environmental portraits of individuals and families and photographed artifacts rescued from the blaze along with post-fire abstracts.
I felt that it was important to reveal the authentic Malibu that he has known for over 35 years. Subjects represented a cross-section of his community, from young families to celebrities. Their losses ranged from multi-million-dollar mansions to mobile homes.
I wanted to “bear witness” to this catastrophe and through his photography capture its profound physical and emotional impact. Every person or family that I photographed had a unique and compelling story.
These images illuminate a dominant issue of our time and puts a face on the reality that is global warming. It is now common knowledge that wildfires are increasing in size and frequency in California and around the world because of climate change.
EXHIBITIONS
On November 5 and 6, 2019, the one-year anniversary of the Woolsey Fire, the citizens of Malibu gathered to view these images. Superlarge format prints were displayed along with framed color and black and white archival photographs. Canon and The Malibu Foundation were primary sponsors. Over 500 people showed up over the course of the two-day event and it was covered extensively by the local press.
