In so far as photography is conceived of an art-form which directly reflects reality or “the world as it is”, I suggest that that conception is fundamentally false. Susan Sontag begins On Photography with a reference to Plato’s Cave, where humans mistake the shadows cast on the cave wall for reality itself.
Photography has become the art-form par excellence for the age of consumption and the delusion of infinite growth on a finite planet: reality and experience reduced to images in two dimensions, which may be easily and “cheaply” replicated at vast scale.
Turning away from the cave wall, back to reality itself in all its dimensions, demands a rejection of photography – or at least a rejection of the idea of photography as connection to reality and a counter to prejudice. It demands a reconnection to the natural limitation of materiality and plant-based photosynthesis as primary source of “writing with light” (the true meaning of photography).
Cyanotype on linen warp before the piece was woven. The process of weaving disrupts the image like a hack would intervene into the pixels.
Portrait, wool
Picnic blanket (reversible), -wool, linen, plastic bags
Window dressing, linen warp, paper thread, hand dyed with pomegranate, eukalyptus and avocado.
Umbrella blanket, ikat on wool, hand dyed with indigo
Double sided blanket (front), wool, plastic bags
Double sided blanket (back), plastic bags and wool
Short story in two parts, linen warp, woolen weft, hand dyed with pomegranate, madder and indigo
Two baby blankets, wool hand dyed with pomegranate, indigo and madder