Eric Bricker

Thursday, April 25th, 7:00 – 9:30pm

PRESENTS:

His Film: Visual Acoustics

In The University Theatre on Upper Campus at California State University, Long Beach

Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, VISUAL ACOUSTICS celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world’s greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Shulman captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California’s modernist movement and brought its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images.

Eric Bricker considered Julius Shulman his mentor and friend, and few people had such a profound impact on his life. Two things were apparent to him upon his initial meeting with Julius in the spring of 1999. First, the photography created by the man was nothing short of astounding and second, Julius himself was as equally impressive as the work he created.

The true defining characteristic of a Shulman photograph is that vibrant, uplifting, profound energy that transcends the two-dimensional space. When viewing one of Julius’ “’d2constructed views”’d3, Bricker says, “’d2I am reminded of the potential for greatness inherent within each individual. I am then usually driven to a state of bewilderment knowing that within the Shulman archive are 8000+ projects dating back to 1927 when Julius started photographing with a Brownie Box Camera.”’d3 The photography however is only half the story; Julius himself was the other. Distilled to its barest essence it is this: Julius Shulman was a humanist with a genuine love for people, culture and the arts.

It is a combination of coincidence and a lifetime of preparation that led Eric Bricker to Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman. Active in music and theater in St. Louis, Missouri combined with a grandmother who took him to countless films, Eric knew that Los Angeles was an inevitable move. However, before moving to Los Angeles Eric went on to graduate from Indiana University where he received his B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Theatre. After graduation, Eric spent the next few years acting with the California Repertory Company and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Upon settling in Los Angeles, Eric turned his focus toward film and television production.