This striking color photograph documents Matthew Barney transformed into magician Harry Houdini inside Budapest's historic Gellért Bath House during the filming of Cremaster 5 in 1997. The composition captures Barney seated along the pool edge, featuring his dramatic red organic lower limbs, ornate translucent blue headpiece, and prosthetic facial elements against deep blue Art Nouveau tiled architecture. Photographed by Michael James O'Brien and printed on museum-grade archival inkjet paper, this piece beautifully encapsulates the operatic surrealism and sculptural performance central to Barney's epic cycle. Offering immense historical and artistic significance, it is a vital addition to serious contemporary photography collections.
Photographer Michael James O'Brien documented with beautiful and unique images the final part of Matthew Barney's lyric opera cycle about a tragic love story set in romantic Budapest. The epic's main characters are the Queen of Chains and the magician and escape artist Harry Houdini.
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Color Photography - Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, 1997. By Michael James O'Brien
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, 1997
From the Matthew Barney series
Archival Inkjet Print.
Limited Edition.
Unframed
With 2 inches of white borders around.
Michael James O’Brien is a multifaceted artist based in Atlanta, GA, known for his work as a photographer, teacher, curator, poet, and activist. He has held solo exhibitions in major cities worldwide, including New York, Paris, Beijing, and Istanbul. His photography is part of the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection in London and has been featured in esteemed publications such as Rolling Stone, Vogue UK, The New Yorker, and The Guardian. O'Brien authored Girlfriend; Men, Women, and Drag, published by Random House, and contributed to Matthew Barney’s Drawing Restraint 7 and Cremaster series. A dedicated activist, he has been involved with ACTUP and various HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, including the Love Ball and Live Positive Campaign. Currently, he serves as the Chair of Photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design and chairs the Advisory Council of Atlanta Celebrates Photography.
