Initially my interests in bonding images to alternative surfaces began in 1998 by using liquid photographic emulsion, initially on paper, then exploring the possibilities on wood, stone and flint, later developing this into outdoor installations, that at the time could not withstand the rigors of the weather and interventions by human hand (link to archive).
I later discovered a digital image transfer process and experimented with this at great length, learning how to work with the process to gain high-quality and meaningful results. I made some pieces on wood in 2013 and left them to deteriorate in my garden. Although I could not stop the wood from rotting over some 8 years, the images remained somewhat intact and added to the message of the piece. I then learned how to upscale the imagery and this resulted in the Refugee Stories series for the PhotoEast Festival in 2018. My ambition was to work with this process in the landscape and have some control over the time span of the process of decay on my preferred surfaces of stone, rock, and man-made derivatives such as brick and concrete because they create and shape the world we live in.
I applied for a Develop Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England, in 2021 and was fortunate enough to receive enough funding to concentrate on trialling processes that would help me realise my ambition of making photographic work in the landscape that could stand the test of time. I worked with the team at Epson UK and trialled processes and also sealants from a range of sources. A Lowestoft Man was the finale to the process. I, along with my assistant, physically installed the image in November 2021 at Ness Point (the most easterly point in the UK) onto the surface of an existing concrete structure with he support of Anglian Water. After three years it shows no sign of deterioration. In this gallery are images illustrating my DYCP experience from the installation of the final piece in November 2021, through to my taking the initial portrait in March 2020. The gallery includes other examples of surfaces I tested.
If you would like to discuss commissioning or collaborating with me using this new photographic technique please use the contact form on this site.
TO OPEN THIS GALLERY CLICK ON AN IMAGE & SCROLL
