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Expose: A perspective on a hidden world

It is commonplace in the design community that the creative essence within us is constantly striving to seek the new, unknown and unique. Then associating this fascination and emotion with any given object or desire. Therefore the nature of this project is an attempt to reveal or expose hidden truths or hidden worlds within what we normally perceive (in the everyday) around us. The word exposed conjures up poster pin-ups of yesteryear and obscene and frivolous acts of the present documented in the ever-untrusting media-driven world we inhabit. It is forgiving that with today’s climate of mass hysteria and constant fear of when any commodity is to be blitzed into short supply by the Orwellian culture, that we as a species forget to look and admire. For expose does in fact mean to uncover, reveal or see clearly. This clarity and wonderment is a trait that drives our desires and passions. Craft is everywhere, bliss and unity also; it is just that we, as a contemporary culture chose to ignore it, when in reality we should admire and appreciate it. This project is me appreciating the everyday through an unusual perspective; one that reveals a hidden world.

In order to act as designers and engage within the community there must be an active search for stimulation through exploration and experience in order to accommodate this into the creative arsenal. For me the stimulation lies with uncovering and viewing unseen or new concepts, ideas and designs. I seek to find something special within all around me. No matter how mundane the application, there is a longing and belonging of the everyday. Which is deprived of the credit it deserves, it is only when these objects are brought into focus in a visually stimulating way either controversially or subtly that we take notice of them and appraise the craft behind them.

The work created throughout this project is very experimental and has required a lot of organisation and cross-discipline working.The majority of the work has been very mathematical in the process to determine the right exposure and developing settings of the chemicals used to produce the imagery. The equipment used to create the work varies between the cutting edge and the very cheap and cheerful. Although the expense of the work is not in any way related to the creative outcome, some interesting and exciting effects can be produced with the lowest budget image capture devices [see overleaf].

Cyanotype is a simplistic process of image reproduction. As its name suggests the outcome is varied tones of cyan. As with photograms the image transferred is a negative of the object placed in front of the paper. This method is commonly known as a sun-print, as it requires exposure to UV light rays to react with the chemicals to make the image. It is a relatively easy and cheap method of production that is fraught with unexpected results; due to the paper stock used with the images I created, the detail is very low but adds a subtle ghostly charm to the images. This method requires a three minute paint up to make the paper light-sensitive and again a similar amount of time to wash out, although most prints were obtained with a long exposure of 4-6 hours of daylight. Photogram’s are the simplest form of photographic image, requiring only light. As the fundamentals of photography is the ability to draw with light this process is usually used as an introduction to wet darkroom work, even though it is primarily a simplistic process a very unique and complex array of work can be achieved through the basic adaption of light and exposure. The unpredictability of the image you can create and the reveal of a new perspective of viewing an object is incredibly interesting concept. Work created in the darkroom with this technique ranged in exposure from two seconds to three minutes.

The process of developing the image i.e. developer to stop bath and fixer was made to fit the three minutes by altering the strength of the developer. This three minute’s in process allowed the output to vary and become more experimental, which in turn became the theme of the project. The use of X-Ray photography came from the early photogram work within the darkroom; photograms reveal an objects physical presence as the outer shape. X-Ray photography reveals the inside of an object the parts we never get to see. A clearly intense and exciting prospect, what can one look into? The results of the X-Ray work appear similar in form to the photogram work in that it is a basic image capture facility which works as negative to reality.

The use of high-speed photography has been around for years but the adaption to artistic representation is still relatively unorthodox. The cameras themselves are usually used by engineers to check fast moving machinery. The concept of being able to effectively slow down time to view the parts you miss is extraordinary. The process is very delicate and produces lower resolution work the faster the frame rate the event is captured. The images are stills taken from many moving image which the camera produces. The idea of which links to three minutes by the lengthening of the film to fit, ie a 1sec clip shot at 1000fps can last around three minutes when played at the rate of 25fps (standard pal TV).

The overall outcome is using the process of three minutes as the design concept. What happens in that time is derived from the method used which has relation to life through a lens. This piece involves the viewer and engages them with the work I have been experimenting with in the aim to promote hand craft and analogue skills which have been forgotten in recent times. This is achieved through the overall design aesthetic by subtly incorporating the darkroom experiences used to create the experimental photography within the piece itself. This piece is photosensitive and requires exposure to light in order to be read. The exposure time in light before it is fully developed* takes a total of three minutes. This has been calculated by the amount and strength of the chemicals used to create the piece in the first place.

NOTE: This piece will only react to light once; it is intended as a piece of performance art in its own regard.
*The paper will continue to react if left in light after three minutes.
The content will be completely visible in three minutes of exposure.

Expose