MARIAH ROBERTSON
2015-02-16These works are made with photography chemistry directly applied to photography paper. I once described this work as an extreme end, or peninsula, of material-based photo work. Also, the installation layout looks like the outline of Florida on the floor plan of the gallery.
This work stems from some issues with authority and having been told NO about a lot of things that were clearly pointless. This is the emotional engine of a dry, analytic, simple conceptual project of inverting the vernacular binary code of YES/NO in a closed system-in this case, darkroom photography.
Some easily summarized examples, both technical and opinion-based:
One is not supposed to use glossy paper because it is unsophisticated, bad taste, etc.
One cannot touch glossy paper with an ungloved hand because the oil from the finger will render it a damaged, invalid object.
One cannot have any dings, creases or dents in the photographic paper (“if you want to be taken seriously”).
Darkroom materials are made to function only with highly controlled, tiny amounts of light. Chemistry is made to function under tightly controlled temperature conditions.
Opposite – 291, 2014
Exhibition runs through to March 21st, 2015
M+B
612 North Almont Drive
Los Angeles
California 90069
