Cyanotype du portail, 2020-21

Cyanotype fluid and paint on canvas or canson graffitti paper

2020-21, Atelier D.dal

Why use the cyanotype method?

I was drawn to it because it is a precusor to photography, but like other photosensitive print forms, such as screenprinting, it is also similar to printmaking process. Therefore I see it as quite an interdisciplinary practice, remixing photography and print. As I do both of these things, I found this an interesting medium to experiment with.

At this time, cyanotype was relatively relegaded to being seen by some as now more of a "craft" or "diy" project for making prints of flowers, or for printing onto fabric for example old photographs. What us interesting about this medium is it's ability to "photograph" real objects in the environment using only the sun.
Timing is important when it comes to the cyanotype, watching the weather and following the movement of the sun was especially important for this print, as their was limited time when the sun shone directly through the window, because of a tree and because the sun passes for a moment between the two apartment buildings on the other side of the road. Sunlight can be recreated, but these were printed using direct sunlight.
The cyanotype is also refered to as a "photogram" I relate to this term, more than the cyanotype (meaning blue print) because with the stamping method, it uses contrast as an important tool in the print. "Photo" meaning light sensitive and "gram" relates to weight, so we see the weight of the image created by the shape of the object and it's movement.
This process is time based.
The idea to "photocopy" the doorway came as a result of the additional anxiety that walking outside could announce, during Covid. Did I have a clean mask, did I bring an attestation? Etc.
It is a university lecturer from Michaelis, Jean Brundit, who inspired the idea of using the architecture of the uilding as the matrix, from which I would make these prints. Brundit created a large pinhole camera, using a shipping container, to take a large photograph of Cape Town. This encouraged the idea in that it could be feasible to continue this idea to paint the cyanotype onto larger surfaces.
Working on the street, drawing, photographing also allowed me to have interactions with neighbours and businesses on the street.