A Message for a Brother

By Mark Chamberlain

Shortly after sunrise on Friday, September 11, 2009, the light changed when Jerry Burchfield passed away after a strenuous two-year battle with colon cancer. He faced the final struggle with the courage and resolve that was his nature, and died with the dignity and grace that marked his 62 years.

It is difficult to assess the loss of such a multi-faceted person as Jerry. He was a valuable and loyal ally to his many friends; an innovative teacher and mentor to literally thousands of students over 30 years of teaching; a faithful and loving husband to one wife over 41 years of marriage; a dedicated father to his only son; and a thoughtful only son to his parents.

Beyond these admirable traits, Jerry was an intrepid adventurer in life, and a talented artist who generously shared his passion and knowledge with any fellow artists or aspirants who were wise enough to join the journey. And what an exciting adventure it has been.

In 1973 Jerry co-founded BC Space Gallery in Laguna Beach. Although primarily devoted to fine art photography, the gallery reaches into many social, political, and environmental issues in various mediums, and became known as a pioneering, alternative space featuring aggressively contemporary work. One of the fruits of that endeavor was the still ongoing Laguna Canyon Project that, since 1980, has extensively documented the nine mile corridor between inland Orange County and the Pacific Ocean in a variety of innovative ways. The primary focus of that project was to bring public awareness to the value of the threatened natural landscape, and became the focal point and catalyst that mobilized residents throughout the region to halt the plans to change Laguna Canyon into another city in 1989. Today that landscape is part of the Laguna Wilderness Park. The 16th phase of that project is slated for 2010.

After leaving BC Space in 1987, to undertake full time teaching at Cypress College, Jerry helped establish a gallery for which he mounted scores of exhibits of both established and emerging artists. His passion for teaching was unleashed and he greatly expanded the reach and reputation of the Photographic Arts program through his shows and classes. He was selected Educator of the Year by the Society for Photographic Education in 2006, in recognition of this work.

In 2002, Jerry helped found The Legacy Project with five other regional artists. Since inception the team has amassed a mountain of photographic documentation of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station as it transforms into the Great Park of Orange County. Their efforts have promoted the open space that will include a wilderness corridor to connect with Laguna Canyon and complete a natural pathway from the mountains to the ocean.

The Legacy Project recently converted a jet hangar at the base into the largest camera obscure ever created, to make the largest photograph in history: a gelatin silver print that is three stories high by 11 stories long, which is included in the Guinness Book of World Records. The Great Picture, has been displayed twice in the US, and is currently under consideration for display at two venues in China, after which it may embark on a world tour.

Jerry also co-founded with Laguna artist Ron Chilcote, the Laguna Wilderness Press a publishing house specializing in richly illustrated and scholarly written books featuring art addressing environmental concerns. Along with outstanding books by other notable artists, Laguna Wilderness Press has produced several books of Jerry's work, including Primal Images, featuring Lumen prints from the Amazon rainforest in 1994, and the just completed Understory, that presents equally impactful images of ecosystems Florida.

Along with these collaborative projects, Jerry has been a tireless artist and exhibitor with his own personal work. Since 1973, his photographs and performances have been shown in over 60 solo exhibitions and 500 group shows. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants for his work, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Polaroid Corporation, and a lifetime achievement award from Artists for a Better World. His work is in numerous public and private collections across the world, including the Los Angeles Museum of Art, George Eastman House, Chicago Art Institute, and the Bibliotheque National.

To describe Jerry as a photographic artist would be accurate by conventional definitions, but Jerry was far from conventional with his life, and the definition is far too narrow. To use his own words, "My medium is light, and photography is my primary tool of expression. Known as a conceptually oriented artist/activist, my work is environment-responsive and about change, natural process, interaction, physical connections, and evolves through what I call 'orchestrated chance.' I use traditional and alternative applications of photography, light painting, performance, video, evolving installations, extended documentations, and dedicate myself to long-term projects in an ongoing effort to make work that reflects change over time, creates an awareness of natural beauty, and addresses humanity's teetering relationship with nature."

The inevitable change has come for Jerry as it will for us all, but I would like to think that his spirit is still moving toward the light and will continue to illuminate the path we might follow.

Rest well, my friend...ally...brother. You have done your work well.

Jerry is survived by his wife Barbara, son Brian, and father Darrell. Mark Chamberlain was Jerry Burchfield's partner in art for 38 years and is the "C" in BC Space. Jerry's Legacy Project brothers are Mark Chamberlain, Jacques Garnier, Rob Johnson, Douglas McCulloh, and Clayton Spada.

Jerry's work may be seen at:
www.jerryburchfield.com
www.lagunawildernesspress.com
www.legacyphotoproject.com

Personal comments may be contributed at:
www.contemporary-art-dialogue.com/jerry-burchfield.html

September 22, 2909 LA Times article