Melanie King
Image: Ancient Light © Melanie King
Image: Ancient Light Melanie King © Julia Waugh
Melanie King is an artist whose principal subject is photography with a focus on the cultural connection between materials and phenomena existing beyond Earth’s atmosphere; “Astronomy Ecology" is the subject of a PhD research at The RCA in London . A director of Lumen Studios and Super Collider, organisations that host exhibitions and residencies exploring optics, science and creativity . Three photographs from the series “Ancient Light” were included in The Astrologer Who Fell Into A Well at CAS in Osaka. Melanie King also a participated in a public discussion on the concepts and issues raised in the artworks.
www.melaniek.co.uk
"As I continue my research I have been inspired by the relationship between the complexly of intertwined fields of astronomy, photography and philosophy. Keeping in mind the idea of the “celestograph” which can be defined as “writing caused by the heavens”, I have embarked on a new series of photographs. “Ancient Light” aims to capture light that has been travelling for thousands, if not millions of years directly onto photosensitive film.
Since May 2017, I have been collaborating with Thomas Schlichter, Technical Staff Member at UCLO Observatory to photograph stars, moons and planets on film. Using the digital option, the photon is translated to electrical signals, which can be arranged to make pixels on a screen. In contrast, the stellar photon is physically absorbed by the silver halide crystals, causing the silver to turn black when processed through developer and fixer. As an artist, the use of film is exciting in this context because I am able to physically handle material that has been altered by ancient light. I can use this in a darkroom by shining light through the film negative, and creating a direct print.
The index as defined by CS Pierce as “a sign or representation is something which stands to somebody for something in some respect or capacity.” To clarify, an index could be the footprint which stands in for the shoe, or a bullet hole which refers to the bullet. Put simply, the analogue negative can not help but to refer to the light it receives. Though attractive, digital astro-photographs do not excite me in the same way because they are stored within the memory of a camera and can be mediated easily with stacking software and photoshop."
www.melaniek.co.uk
"As I continue my research I have been inspired by the relationship between the complexly of intertwined fields of astronomy, photography and philosophy. Keeping in mind the idea of the “celestograph” which can be defined as “writing caused by the heavens”, I have embarked on a new series of photographs. “Ancient Light” aims to capture light that has been travelling for thousands, if not millions of years directly onto photosensitive film.
Since May 2017, I have been collaborating with Thomas Schlichter, Technical Staff Member at UCLO Observatory to photograph stars, moons and planets on film. Using the digital option, the photon is translated to electrical signals, which can be arranged to make pixels on a screen. In contrast, the stellar photon is physically absorbed by the silver halide crystals, causing the silver to turn black when processed through developer and fixer. As an artist, the use of film is exciting in this context because I am able to physically handle material that has been altered by ancient light. I can use this in a darkroom by shining light through the film negative, and creating a direct print.
The index as defined by CS Pierce as “a sign or representation is something which stands to somebody for something in some respect or capacity.” To clarify, an index could be the footprint which stands in for the shoe, or a bullet hole which refers to the bullet. Put simply, the analogue negative can not help but to refer to the light it receives. Though attractive, digital astro-photographs do not excite me in the same way because they are stored within the memory of a camera and can be mediated easily with stacking software and photoshop."
Image: Ancient Light © Melanie King
