Communication through an image, communication through installation
The first and second exhibitions at the Colour Factory Gallery differ greatly in choice of medium and use of space, which got us thinking about photographic artists, and artists who use photography.
‘Sustainable Fusion Reactions’ is a very exciting exhibition for the Colour Factory as it pushes the boundaries of what photographic art is. All three artists use photography to communicate their vision even though they may not consider themselves solely as photographers. This differs from the current exhibition, where the artists are well known photographers in the commercial world of fashion and advertising. Marc and Gerard have taken a ‘traditional’ approach in the installation of their work – mural photographs, mounted to Aluminum Composite Board and hung formally in the gallery. The Colour Factory stands by this photographic tradition of the image telling all, presented as a high quality print on the white walls of the gallery.
Just as valid and interesting is the way artists’ who use photography think outside the square and use the installation process as a way of communicating their ideas by transforming a space. The artists in ‘Sustainable Fusion Reactions’ will manipulate the gallery space in a completely different manner involving projections, photo based sculpture, books and photographs, using not only the wall space but the floor as well.
A benefit of exhibiting a variety of ways in which artists use photography is to educate and inspire, showing the diverse and creative methods being used by contemporary artists. Having the Colour Factory business attached to the gallery is advantageous for the public, in particular students, who are interested in the technical possibilities of the medium and challenges faced by artists and technicians alike in bringing an idea to fruition. The experienced Colour Factory staff are available to assist and provide information on how the artwork was produced, the technical requirements, the archival quality of the material and much more. Just ask us!
Some technical details: photo techniques, printing devices
Gerard and Marc have printed their images as Lightjet photographs on Flex paper then mounted to 2mm Aluminum Composite Board, which floats off the wall. The Flex paper is high gloss and has incredible depth, fooling many to believe that the prints are face mounted to acrylic. This option, although aesthetically similar is more cost effective and light weight. This process produces a collectable museum quality archival artwork.
In the next exhibition Utako Shindo will create a sculptural floor piece that has images printed onto clear vinyl and adhered to squares of mirror. This process is usually for commercial applications, printed on the large format OCE CS7070 with UV ink. This means the work is not museum quality archival however, it affectively achieves Utako’s creative vision and aesthetic purpose.