One of the exhibits called Light, Paper, Process: Reinventing Photography featured works of art by various artists that played around with chemicals and alternative exposure techniques to create images on light sensitive photography paper. The special paper used to develop images in photography is coded with a unique chemical solution that relies on light exposure to create the images that the camera is trying to capture. These papers, as a result, are extremely sensitive to light. Some of the artists featured in the exhibit used fire to alter the chemical compounds within the paper to create bold and explosive images on the paper. The way in which chemicals can be used to light up and create images where they would otherwise go unseen seemed to be analogous to the ways in which they can be used to light up and intensify parts of the brain that we see in MRI and X-ray images.
Chemical usage in art is not a new concept however, for they were also used to enhance many older works of art in ways that I had never considered. The museum had on display an assortment of glassware from 14th century Europe. The green and brown coloring that could be found in most of the glassware was the result of iron impurities within the glass mixture. Once heated up, the defects of the iron caused the glass to change color instead of remaining clear.
Similarly, some of the vibrant hues seen in their display of Renaissance Illuminations can be attributed to chemically produced pigments. The mixing of natural and readily available chemicals can be credited with producing the metallic gold that was used very commonly throughout art in this era.
Although I have been to the Getty Center in the past, exploring the museum with not only an artistic interest, but with a scientific mindset added a completely new and exciting element to my visit. I was able to appreciate not only the art itself, but the complex background that led to the production of such amazing pieces. It was a great experience!
No comments:
Post a Comment