Saturday, February 17, 2007

· In his landscape and portrait photographs on view at Hemphill, Colby Caldwell adeptly transforms natural phenomena into ever so slightly unnatural images. The icy pink horizon of "after nature (42)" recalls the19th-century seascapes of Martin Johnson Heade while flirting with the artificial palette of a digital age. As ever, Caldwell's textured surfaces -- he waxes them -- skirt the lines between painting and print. In a rear room, vintage footage of a family member's hunting trip screens macabre scenes. The effect is romantic noir.

Colby Caldwell at Hemphill Fine Arts, 1515 14th St. NW, Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 202-234-5601, to Feb. 24.http://www.hemphillfinearts.com.