Edinburgh VACMA

Description

My research question is what are the intersections between photography, typography and printmaking?

I decided to focus on the Astley Ainsley site in Edinburgh for the project which the NHS proposes to dispose of soon. An intention behind the work being to document and celebrate this accessible green space. I used black and white medium format film photography to document the grounds. This lent a graphic and permanent quality to the images. Alongside photography, I developed a set of typographic marks based on maps of the hospital grounds. These were constructed using traditional type design techniques such as tapering and realised as traditional relief prints. Like the photographic negatives, the plates used in this process serve as a material document of the typeface that can be continually reprinted.

The project led to a confrontation regarding the ethics of film photography. The use of animal products in both photographic film and paper was the driving factor in a necessary reconsideration of the processes used and a move towards using printmaking techniques to print the photographs, settling on photopolymer intaglio etching (“photopolymer photogravure”). The result of this process being highly textured but graphic photo prints.

The ongoing research process includes:
* Experimentation with film stock, pushing film and developing times to understand their impact on the image
* Working with photography technicians to learn and experiment with darkroom printing to gain insight into the impact of paper quality and finish on the image, and split grading to achieve the intended tonal range in a print
* Discussions with photographers to gain further insight into the photographic approach used
* Analysis of tradition type design techniques (e.g. tapering, overshoot, contrast) to refine the design of the typographic forms
* Analysis of paper stocks to achieve a desired “book-like” appearance for the relief prints to emphasise their typographic nature
* Working with printmaking technicians to explore of different intaglio etching processes (steel and photopolymer) and inks to find a technique and colour that would capture the tonal range of the photographs and create the desired atmosphere in the final print

Two works in progress from the project were displayed in Stills Salon and SSA 30 x 30.

Period	4 Dec 2023 → 31 Mar 2025
Held at	Creative Scotland, United Kingdom