ON THE PANDEMIC

In early March 2020, the beginning stages of Covid-19’s quarantine, I was in active denial of the pandemic. While following all the recommended safety protocols, I was reluctant to even think about its existence, much less give it thought of how it could affect my art. I simply didn’t want to give it power to enter my world. But eventually, the outside reality started to creep into my life, taking physical space in my daily life. Disposable gloves, surgical masks, bottles of sanitizers and rubbing alcohol, disinfecting wipes, sterilization devices—all kinds of forms, shapes, and variations of protective gear filled up available spaces and surfaces of my house.

Once the objects began appearing in my everyday photo snaps, I gave up the resistance. The pandemic had won, and I decided to embrace it by giving it some meaning, incorporating it into my work. By this time, the strictest of quarantine restrictions had been lifted and the outside world was at my disposal. But to create this series of lumen prints, I decided to only use materials that could already be found in my house. In a way, I continued with a form of self-quarantine.

During the process, I experimented with a couple of everyday household UV devices by exposing various disinfectants and protective equipment objects on expired photography paper. While adjusting exposure times and changing the ways I applied the UV rays, I was surprised to find how the resulting images appeared both realistic and abstract at the same time. I worked with only one kind of black and white photo paper which produced a consistent color scheme. The various color combinations on the final prints were a result of the substances, colors, and translucence of each individual object I used in the process.

Light Exhibition at Middletown Art Center
September 25, 2021-January 3, 2022

Middletown Art Center
21456 State Hwy 175
Middletown, CA 95461

Virtual Tour: http://www.middletownartcenter.org/light.html