Peter Beard
PETER BEARD "THREE GIRAFFES IN MIRAGE ON THE TARU DESERT" 1960
Peter Beard (1938–2020) occupies a singular place within postwar photography. Artist, diarist, naturalist, and adventurer, Beard devoted much of his life to documenting the landscapes and wildlife of East Africa, creating a body of work that fused photography, collage, drawing, and handwritten annotation into richly layered visual narratives.
This work exemplifies Beard's distinctive approach. Set against the vast expanse of Kenya's arid landscape, the image captures three giraffes emerging through the shimmering distortion of heat and light. Beard's characteristic interventions animate the photograph further: handwritten notes and a smudged handprint accumulate across the surface, transforming the image into a visual diary as much as a photographic record.
While Beard has other iterations of this giraffe image, each one is uniquely annotated and altered. These inscriptions underscore the artist's lifelong fascination with memory, authorship, and the construction of narrative.
Packed with content and clues, this unique artwork by a beloved artist offers an engaging viewing experience. Layering nuance with mystery, Beard leads his viewers to question the natural order and the human condition, in their full, uncensored, merciless beauty.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"Three Giraffes in Mirage on the Taru Desert," 1960
Toned gelatin silver print. Printed laser.
Signed, titled, dated, and variously inscribed in ink
16"H 20"W (work)
21.25"H 26.5"W (framed)
Very good condition
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