Time Flies

I recently came accoss a set of victorian microscope slides at a flea market and was instantly hooked. I was partiularly fascinated by their sense of preservation within a visibly ageing form ( the glue used to fix the slide covered had yellowed and cracked. Presumably collected by an amateaur naturalist, the slides have sample ranging from rock fragments to the head of a blowfly ( pictured above).
Viewed through the microscope not only is the intended speciment revealed, but also the aging and flaws of the preparation.
The samples pictured appear to have a paper like consistency, reminiscent of old envelopes of pressed flowers - the stuff of memoried preserved for a later date the forgotten.

Showing Patina High and Dry

Another drawing in the Patina ( light) series ( above)

High and dry ( below).

Developped from the stand of ideas focused on the notion of Patina, are pieces which responded to the stuggles between chance and control in archival conservation of garments. These drawings build upon the idea of the greasy deposits left by touching but here these greasy residues are absorbed by either charcoal - a substance used in conservation to absorb dangerous elements in the atmosphere -and talc -a dessicant which absorbs moisture. So in effect , the surface of the drawing becomes the site where the chemicals of damage and the chemicals of control are met , resulting in a ghostly image of the shadow of the garments orginally worked with.

Some thoughts on transparency

One of a recent series of experiments which investigated the dematerialisation of the paper support though using wax to render it transparent.