camera-less
The Flinn Gallery is pleased to present Camera-less, featuring the work of Joanne Dugan, Amanda Marchand, Anne Arden McDonald and Liz Nielsen. The exhibition will introduce the public to four of the most innovative practitioners of camera-less photography working today. These artists challenge traditional expectations of photographic representation with experimental, process-driven works that push boundaries both technical and conceptual.
What is camera-less photography?
It might seem a contradiction in terms but actually, the very first photographic images were created without a camera. In this practice, images are captured on photo-sensitive paper without the use of a lens. Light, chemicals and a light-sensitive surface are its fundamental ingredients. Removing the camera means that light and chemicals interact directly without the intermediary of a camera or a negative.
The technique of making photographic images without a camera dates back to the early 18oos, at the dawn of photography. Rediscovered by the Surrealists in the 1920s, camera-less or direct photography is seeing a resurgence today, with a growing number of contemporary artists pushing the possibilities of this medium far beyond where their predecessors left off. This exhibition highlights the work of four groundbreaking artists who create powerful and highly original images by casting shadows and filtering light on photographic paper, or by chemically manipulating its surface. The striking works on display, ranging from figurative to abstract, represent the leading edge of what is possible in this emerging field.
Joanne Dugan is interested in the visual act as a dynamic, cognitive process that connects people through shared viewing experiences. Her one-of-a-kind images begin with cyanotype or silver gelatin photograms and light paintings, which are hand cut and collaged. Dugan is informed by Buddhist principles and meditation and interested in the physical qualities of photography as a medium.
Amanda Marchand works with lumen printing in which black & white photo papers are exposed to the sun to reveal latent color. Her images relate to the passage of time, the natural world and our changing climate. She utilizes books as mark makers, referencing endangered species and the practice of art.
Anne Arden McDonald employs an unorthodox collection of materials and methods from the domestic and scientific realms to create her chemigrams. Her highly experimental techniques involve altering the surface of silver gelatin paper and applying materials such as glue, bleach, broken glass, developer and fixer to produce images inspired by atoms and planets, exploring the microcosm and macrocosm of our experience.
Liz Nielsen has been systematically exploring the possibilities of camera-less photography, making vividly colored photograms in the color darkroom. Her large-scale compositions straddle the border between abstraction and figuration, recalling simple natural forms such as landscapes, arches or groupings of smoothly curved stones. She calls them “Light Paintings,” evoking the performative nature of their creation.
Caren Winnall is the curator for Camera-less. The exhibit runs through March 5, 2025.
Events:
Opening reception: Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 6-8pm
Artist Talk: Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 2 pm
The Flinn Gallery is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Friends of Greenwich Library and is located on the second floor of the library at 101 Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT. The gallery welcomes visitors daily Monday to Saturday, 10am-5pm, Thursday until 8pm, and Sunday 1pm-5pm.