Darkroom Planting
Experiment (2021—)
Photogram
The Greek word φῶς (phós) means light in English,
which became the prefix for photography and photosynthesis.
which became the prefix for photography and photosynthesis.
In general speaking, photo and plant are unrelated being, however, they have something essentially in common. Both of them live with light, and they bear their own fruit after a period of invisible time. The power of life and time is embodied in the fruit while the whole reaction is unviewable.
In this project, I put plant’s seed on the top of the film paper and let them grow together in the soil. The growing plant that breaks through the soil will share light for the paper below while its growing process will be recorded in the paper.
In this project, I put plant’s seed on the top of the film paper and let them grow together in the soil. The growing plant that breaks through the soil will share light for the paper below while its growing process will be recorded in the paper.
Right: Darkroom Planting Experiment #007, sketch, Procreate, 2021.
Darkroom Planting Experiment
#007
Darkroom Plant Specimen #007-2-2, 4.6*4.4cm, ILFORD Multigrade Art 300, photogram, 2021.
#007-1-2, 2-2, 3-2, 4-2, 5-2, 6-2: Film paper are protected by transparent plastic paper bags. As a result, Darkroom Plant Specimen cultivated from #007-2, 4, 6 are ideal plants as plan—showing plant’s growing process.
Darkroom Plant Specimen #007-1-1, 4.8*4.5cm, ILFORD Multigrade Art 300, photogram, 2021.
Darkroom Planting Process, animation (black and white, silent),
shows how Darkroom Plant grows under the soil, 2022.
Looking forward to see the birth of different Darkroom Plant, I spend a long time for preparation which is as important as the cultivating time. From whether the film paper could image normally to using more ways to produce better fruit, I work like a farmer who try to plant new crops. Every round of experiment takes a week or even half a month, however I know that I touch the invisible life force in every second.
Darkroom Planting Experiment
#000, 001
Aims to confirm if the film or film paper could produce an image properly.
Darkroom Plant specimen #000, ILFORD Multigrade V RC DELUXE PEARL, photogram, 2021.
Darkroom Planting Experiment
#002, 003
Aims to confirm how long the paper retains its exposure function.
Darkroom Plant specimen #002-2,
ILFORD Multigrade V RC DELUXE PEARL, photogram, 2021.
Darkroom Plant specimen #003-2,
ILFORD Multigrade Art 300, photogram, 2021.
ILFORD Multigrade Art 300, photogram, 2021.
Darkroom Planting Experiment
#004
Aims to confirm whether transparent paper bag helps produce better quality fruit.
Darkroom Plant specimen #004-1, 6, ILFORD Multigrade Art 300, photogram, 2021.
Darkroom Planting Experiment
#008
Aims to document fruit.
Darkroom Plant Specimen #008, ILFORD Multigrade Art 300, ILFORD Multigrade V RC DELUXE PEARL, photogram, 2021.