This post documents a period of intense scanning and iteration of digital images during in term 1.
It began with an exploration of materials. Ash, shells, foraged pieces from local shorelines. Indexical records of these finds resulted. The scanner recording their presence, held by the glass plate.
As I spent time loading and clearing the scanner of objects, often cleaning the glass between scans- scrutinising the surface for smears or marks. My face moved close to the scanner glass. I hadn’t planned to but, began scanning my own face for the first time. This wasn’t something that I’d expected but there was an emotional weight to the images I wanted to explore further. Not like conventional portraits. However there was an interaction between the surface marks I’d made on the glass with my hands, the scattered found objects and scans of my face that I thought was interesting. The scanner glass caught condensation from my breath, and marks from my face- which wasn’t intentional.
I was reminded of Helen Chadwick’s indexical self portraits in Of Mutability (1986) where she took self portraits through photocopier glass. On reflection I think my choice to use a scanner rather than a photocopier reflects my preference for slowness. A scanned image takes time and produces velvety soft detail. I see that as in contrast to Chadwick’s more immediate, intentional capture of her body as image.
What emerged was a small series of composite images from the scanning session which was shown at The Good Rice Gallery as part of the Manifest Content group show.
The mirrored images that resulted from this scanner session were selected for exhibition. Showing the work in public for the first time meant really exploring which images worked well at scale, and which ones felt resolved enough.
I thought the images that worked best were the ones where the found objects, portrait and surface marks had a sense of intentionality.
These themes of control and surrender, accident and the unexpected are themes I’m continuing to explore in my practice.
