Abelardo Morrell

Born in Havana, Cuba, Abelardo Morrell immigrated in 1962 to the United States with his parents. Morrell has been innovative on a number of photographic fronts, but it is his use of rooms as large camera obscuras that have gained him fame.

For his Camera Obscura series, the artist blacks out a room with paper and fabric, leaving a tiny 3/8” hole to allow light to pass through. The light strikes the inside surface, projecting an upside-down image that Morrell photographs. This remarkable work combines both the interior space and exterior view into one surreal piece that has the viewer questioning their perspective.

Manhattan is one of Morrell’s favorite cities—the large scale of the work and the combination of the tiny hotel room with the overwhelming nature of Times Square truly encapsulates the mood of an iconic place. The empty room also seems to comment on the loneliness that is still present within a city of millions.