A threshold is a sacred thing, 2023. Cyanotype on washi, broom made of birch & oregano.
58.5 x 96 inches (Twelve 19.5 x 14 in individual sheets assembled together)
Working again with the corredo I arrange textiles over light sensitive paper, then scatter Felce Azzurra talcum powder overtop. The textiles, acting as stencils, are removed and their outlines remain loosely formed in unfixed powder. This outline is then exposed, capturing an ephemeral silhouette.
58.5 x 96 inches (Twelve 19.5 x 14 in individual sheets assembled together)
Working again with the corredo I arrange textiles over light sensitive paper, then scatter Felce Azzurra talcum powder overtop. The textiles, acting as stencils, are removed and their outlines remain loosely formed in unfixed powder. This outline is then exposed, capturing an ephemeral silhouette.
Each of the 12 sheets that form the complete exposed cyanotype was swept with a bundle of rosemary, an attempt to make processes of loss and preservation simultaneously visible. In Southern Italian folk religion and medicine, rosemary spiritually cleanses spaces/objects and aids memory.
A Southern Italian superstition is that malevolent energies can take up residence in objects or the corners of your home, countered by using brooms to "sweep" bad spirits out. As an act of release, the talcum powder left clinging to the textiles used in the cyanotype was beaten out with a handmade broom. This performative process was documented through digital photography. Photos by Juie Desai.
A Southern Italian superstition is that malevolent energies can take up residence in objects or the corners of your home, countered by using brooms to "sweep" bad spirits out. As an act of release, the talcum powder left clinging to the textiles used in the cyanotype was beaten out with a handmade broom. This performative process was documented through digital photography. Photos by Juie Desai.