Tomorrow I head back to Catskill and into the darkroom once again. There is a feeling there of a lack of time, all that matters is the slowly spinning hand of the exposure clock as the image transfers through the lens, across the negative and onto the paper. I am still using RC stock, but my real paper has finally arrived and, to my surprise, some of it is from Croatia. I have both Grade 2 and 3. I also have a pack of Grade 2 Ilford to compare.
I wish to make at least 4 exposures tomorrow (or five) so I can include them in the portfolio I am presenting to the Webbs this weekend in Woodstock. These will be part of the “Wright Morris” project, a series of b/w and color pieces that have been inspired by Morris’ work during his travels through America. They are
an expression of sadness and light, whimsy and decay…In some cases the crumbling towers of old feed silos echo the mountain fortresses I have seen in my European travels, like ancient Byzantine strongholds plundered by warring tribes. In others, like the image above, it is a memory of a previous rural life fast disappearing in the small New York county I live in. In both cases the past is a reminder of the lack of permanence. Time stands still for no one, even in the sensory deprivation tank of a darkroom.
Comments are closed.