The Light that Was Never Was
An ongoing interest in how the past inhabits the present brings me to explore the history of photography with material means. This exhibition focuses on the wet-plate collodion technique, which is characterized by hand-processing photographic plates coated with chemistry that I mix according to 19th century recipes. My approach draws attention to the materiality of the media, combined with a deep interest in provoking unanticipated outcomes. This leads me to create work in unexpected ways, including a series of camera-less images that render visible attributes particular to hand-processing. Gestures – often as subtle as a hesitation – are recorded as a material imprint of light and time onto the sensitive surface of the photographic plates.
Exhibition review by James D. Campbell