The Story of Light - World Record Cyanotype

In January 2015, Myself and Jaden Hastings were the Artists In Residence at The Story of Light Festival in Goa, India. Here, we created the World's Largest Cyanotype!

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Want to know more about who we are and what we were doing there?

We met as students on the MA Art & Science course at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design in London, and soon discovered a mutual affection for alternative photographic processes. As artists and photographers, our practises both explore humanity’s relationship with the Universe through imagery that considers the source of light, both solar and interstellar in origin, in the production of our work. During the Story of Light Festival, we highlighted the use of the sun’s energy, and our material connection to the broader Universe as a source for creativity and inspiration. The focus of Jaden’s hybrid art-science practice is an investigation of the material that defines our identity as human beings and the connection of our corporeal matter to the broader Universe. Melanie researches the parallel histories of photography and astronomy since the 19th century and how both have mutually, symbiotically contributed to our understanding of the Universe.

The overarching aim of our project was to provide a deeper understanding of the way light energy (electromagnetic radiation) can induce a chemical reaction within photosensitive emulsions to produce works of manmade creativity and imagination.

What motivated us to be a part of The Story of Light?

The ‘Story of Light Festival’ highlights the importance of light in our understanding of the universe, in the broadest sense. With the increasing availability of telescopes, microscopes and other optical equipment, we can look closely at objects we may have not had access to before. More ‘amateur’ scientists are emerging to see the universe in high definition, and as artists and philosophers we consider the cultural impact of these. We were motivated to get involved with The ‘Story of Light’ as our own artwork, research and interests mirror the main themes behind the festival. Both of our artistic practices involve the manipulation of light as an art material, in and of itself, and the optical use of light to view the universe in depth. We became involved in ‘The Story of Light’ to encourage the local community of Goa to explore the use of light and simple chemical compounds to produce creative, expressive artwork. In an age that is becoming increasingly digital and ostensibly more complex, we wanted to focus attendees’ attention upon the simple elegance of ‘photopoiesis’ -- creating visual poetry with light.

Dr Melanie King

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