Exchange, 2023
Diptych
Cyanotype, Plant-Based Bioplastic, Ice, Water, Vapor
6”x8” each
Positioned within contained atmospheric conditions, two opposing bioplastic cyanotypes document water’s three states: ice, water, and vapor. The resulting transparent prints serve as a dynamic visual record of cyclical exchanges only possible within Earth’s atmosphere. Nature’s hand plays a central role in this work, as the sun melts the ice, turns the water into vapor, and exposes the photographic emulsion. The substrate, a bioplastic composed of plant-based materials and cooked in the sun’s rays, further emphasizes the natural atmospheric expression. By creating conditions that allow the water cycle to paint, the result is a diptych of the cycle itself.
Made in collaboration with Makaya Tome.
Installation frames made by Derek Evans.
Behind the scenes footage by Farida Amar.
First published in Forecast Journal: Issue 11.
Process:
One sheet of bioplastic cyanotype is placed at the top of an acrylic box and one is placed at the bottom with an ice cube melting at the center. The ice filters the sun’s rays to create an image on the bottom sheet. The steady flow of water from the ice marks each stage of melting by gradually spreading across the bioplastic as the puddle of water grows, stopping the cyanotype’s development process incrementally. While the water stops development, it simultaneously becomes vapor that travels upwards and marks the top cyanotype. Finally, both prints are removed and submerged in water, stopping all further development and preserving the photographic recordings that took place in the box.
