Silver gelatin prints, 8 x 10 inches.
This series of photographic experiments is a fine art extension of my graphic design practice.
This work is all based on the photogram — a cameraless photographic technique that takes place in a wet darkroom. Exploiting this basic technique, I create complex abstract compositions using a wide range of materials including bent plastic, liquid ink, 3D printed objects and castoffs, clay, concrete, water, lasercut acrylic forms, and more – everything has potential to be an art supply. I rely on an old classroom projector and a broken rechargeable flashlight as delightfully imprecise light sources, in addition to a pair of 1960s Beseler photo enlargers.
The enlargers make it possible to combine the photogram technique with film negatives, which I shoot using a variety of cameras including medium format and plastic toy cameras. The result is a celebration of abstract form and indexical markmaking that is a dance between decisions I make as the artist (such as which materials to choose, how to arrange the objects, what to capture on film), and the serendipitous gifts that the collision of chance and limitation provide (surprising light qualities, unexpected interactions of materials, and other visual phenomena that seems almost magical).
- Photographer, Designer
- Mitch Goldstein
Project link
