Chemical Manipulation on Photographic Paper

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In this project, the development process itself becomes an act of creation. Instead of developing an existing image, I exposed photographic paper to light and then dripped a mixture of Tetenal Eukobrom developer and water onto it. The chemistry itself generated the image, with no use of a camera.

 

This work challenges the conventional boundaries of the medium:

In traditional photography, photographic paper must remain in darkness to preserve an image, but here, exposing it to light is what created the image. This breaks the norm, transforming photography into an exploration of chemical and material processes rather than a reproduction of reality.

 

Visual and Conceptual Aspects:

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Materiality and Chemical Intervention:

Rather than using traditional development, the chemicals themselves became the creative tool. The resulting images are organic, almost relief-like, where the interaction between chemistry and photographic paper becomes an integral part of the aesthetic.

 

Merging Control and Unpredictability:

While I set the initial conditions, the outcome is always somewhat unpredictable. This work explores the balance between intentional intervention and the autonomous behavior of materials.

 

Pushing the Boundaries of Analog Photography:

How can development processes become an artistic medium in themselves? This work proposes a new interpretation of photography—not just as a representation of reality but as a material practice that can be shaped and transformed in unconventional ways.