comments : dwelling series studies (2000)


10.06

in 2000, i produced a short series of
reduced-scale prototypes for the dwelling
series using the same iron-silver salt
photoemulsion found in the heliogenic
works of 1993–1997. these pieces were
hand-rendered drawings but, unlike the
earlier works, not tray-developed as a
traditional photograph might be. the light-
sensitive emulsion was repurposed as
a fluid drawing medium and applied
directly to paper with a small brush.

these drawings were executed in normal
daylight conditions and, due to the physical
transparency, lack of color, and "slowness"
of the photoemulsion used, were invisible
during execution and for several hours
thereafter. over several days, the light-
sensitive salts responded to the studio's
natural light conditions and darkened,
revealing the unique details of each
drawing. the emulsion was not tray-developed,
stopped, or fixed, but was instead allowed
to continue darkening until chemical
(and visual) equilibrium was achieved.

a number of years has passed since
these prototypical studies were made.
full-scale work on the dwelling series
is currently underway.