Solar Photograms
2001-2014
Solar Photogram on Gold-Toned Printing-Out-Paper
The cycles of the seasons and the rhythms of the sun dancing through days, months and years fill me with awe and inspiration. The unique solar photogram process reflects the passages of life, seeking not an understanding of time, but rather an experience of the sacred presence within it. The radiance of the sun as the essence of creation becomes a direct experience within the work.
-Martha Madigan
A sheet of photographic paper with an emulsion is laid out in sunlight and objects are placed upon it in any arrangement. Given a five-minute exposure, the uncovered space on the paper around the objects become darkened by the sun. The exposed paper is then processed with gold chloride toner to make the image permanent. The varying intensity of sunlight throughout the seasons, as well as the infinite variety of forms in nature, make each print unique, providing the magic of the unexpected.
