ART
Crone
Imagining the butterfly as crone, a final archetypal stage, this series considers the metaphor of metamorphosis and reflects upon whether shifts must involve utter destruction of past selves or whether they are expansions upon past selves. As some caterpillar cells are reorganised and others destroyed and rebuilt, ‘Crone’ asks us what must be deconstructed and shed in order to change, and what may be preserved, becoming threads of continuity, or archetypes co-existing simultaneously. To explore these questions, 35mm film photographs of butterflies were destroyed using alchemic processes, left wrapped for a number of weeks, then developed. The images that emerged show light leaks, melted emulsions, twilight colour washes, glowing edges, cellular and amorphous shapes, moments of ripping and tearing, and butterflies which appear alongside the other artefacts in the film.
Artist Statement
Influenced by surrealism and interested in abstraction, my practice employs experimental photography and mixed-media techniques primarily to self-reflect. Drawn to all things analogue, I combine film photography with alchemic processes to disrupt the development process and physically alter the resulting images. I also layer photographic images with other media to alter them post-development. Central to my process is working with the dual forces of intention and chaos. I deliberately affect chemical emulsions and apply media which cause unpredictable results. These include light leaks, texture, polychromatic colour, and amorphous shapes. I opt not to digitally edit, preferring a tactile approach, organic outcomes, and to embrace aberrations. This approach facilitates emergent meaning, allowing for symbols, patterns, and narratives to be interpreted post hoc by both myself as the artist and viewer. Themes I explore include personal experiences of emotion states, identity, bisexuality, perception (including synesthesia), and existentialism. I hope to evoke introspection and invite open-ended interpretation rather than prescriptive meaning.
