Statement.
Statement.
Fragments
Solo Residency Show
Studio Goppo, India
2024
Supported by Mondriaan Fonds.
Solo Residency Show
Studio Goppo, India
2024
Supported by Mondriaan Fonds.
The work explores the symbolic role of plants as agents of absorption, representing nature's capacity to filter and absorb toxins from the environment. By using plants as both subjects and developers in the photographic process, the work emphasises the idea that plants not only absorb light but also the chemicals, pollutants, and minerals present in their surroundings. This approach highlights the duality of plants as symbols of both resilience and vulnerability in the face of environmental contamination. The use of photograms creates a visual trace that reflects how these natural elements are shaped by their environment. In contrast, the inclusion of abstract geometric shapes within the composition introduces a sense of disconnection, suggesting the distance
between human intervention and natural processes. The clean, rigid lines of these geometric forms stand in opposition to the organic, irregular shapes of the plants, reflecting the often rigid and out-of-sync
nature of human activity in relation to the environment.
The interplay between these elements—natural and synthetic, fragility and resilience, abstraction and organic—forms the core of this experimental work. Through the combination of plant imagery, geometric
abstraction, and the reactive qualities of silver nitrate, the piece captures the complexities of environmental decay. It invites reflection on the interdependence between human actions and the natural world, underscoring the fragmentary nature of this relationship.
Studio Goppo offered valuable knowledge, equipment and expertise to contribute to my eco-darkroom development research. The work demonstrates the use of plant-based Pyrogallic Acid Developers effective when developing Silver Gelatine based emulsions. The results on Resin oated photographic paper are nearly flawless with minimal toning (Bokul developer).
between human intervention and natural processes. The clean, rigid lines of these geometric forms stand in opposition to the organic, irregular shapes of the plants, reflecting the often rigid and out-of-sync
nature of human activity in relation to the environment.
The interplay between these elements—natural and synthetic, fragility and resilience, abstraction and organic—forms the core of this experimental work. Through the combination of plant imagery, geometric
abstraction, and the reactive qualities of silver nitrate, the piece captures the complexities of environmental decay. It invites reflection on the interdependence between human actions and the natural world, underscoring the fragmentary nature of this relationship.
Studio Goppo offered valuable knowledge, equipment and expertise to contribute to my eco-darkroom development research. The work demonstrates the use of plant-based Pyrogallic Acid Developers effective when developing Silver Gelatine based emulsions. The results on Resin oated photographic paper are nearly flawless with minimal toning (Bokul developer).
B1 - Bokul leaves
100 g Leaves + stems + fruit (crushed)
700 g Distilled water
10g Sodium Carbonate
10g Sodium Sulphite
8g Ascorbic Acid
G1 - Guava leaves
50g Leaves + stems
700g Distilled water
10g Sodium Carbonate
10g Sodium Sulphite
10g Ascorbic Acid
A1 - Amla leaves
40g Leaves + stems
600g Distilled water
10g Sodium Carbonate
10g Sodium Sulphite
8g Ascorbic Acid
Media used: self made emulsion on watercolor paper, photographic paper, natural developers (amla, guava, bokul leaves)
Presented at Studio Goppo, Santiniketan, India.