2018 #8
Dogears
by Marie Clerel
Selected by
Galerie Binome,
Paris, France
Selected by
Galerie Binome,
Paris, France
DOG EARS
Sans Titre (Plis) was my first cyanotype series; it’s an inventory of abstract shapes created from pieces of paper that had spent some time in the bottom of bags. I work from my immediate environment using objects that everyone can relate to, and I like that the shapes in my work are not consciously constructed but are instead a consequence of involuntary gestures. Dog Ears is a progression from that first series, but here the white shapes are more dominant. The work deals with forgetting; the white shapes represent a pause both in the books that I’ve read and a visual pause for the viewer through the cyanotype.
SIMPLE GESTURES
What you see as abstract images come from simple and concrete gestures. One can read my work multiple times; first you see white shapes as pure abstraction, but after reading the titles you understand where these shapes comes from – something that everyone can relate to in the context of the ordinary. I appreciate the paradox between abstraction and more poetic ideas.
SHADES OF BLUE
I discovered the cyanotype process as a result of wanting to record the light that appeared on my studio walls. I try to avoid being too didactic and cyanotypes allow me to work with the photographic medium without being too figurative. I like that I don’t need a darkroom or any kind of camera; there is both an instantaneity and a tangible dimension to the process. It is interesting that I am also dependent on the weather; working exclusively with natural light, the shade of blue ultimately reflects the amount of sunlight that day.
GENERATING IMPERFECTIONS
The use of alternative processes is not new, but I feel part of a growing family of young artists looking for new ways to work with photography. We need to acknowledge the fact that we live in a visually saturated society, and where possible, we should strive to provide a considered response to question the medium. The cyanotypes I make are irreproducible which somehow contradicts the economy of images today. Despite the fact that modern cameras allow us to make ‘perfect’ images instantly, I consciously choose to use a process that generates imperfections.
