I did my first "performative lecture" yesterday. It wasn't my first wet plate demonstration, but it was the first time I've approached it as a performance and extended that idea to the audience (inviting participation, interactivity). It will take me a few times to get it down, but it's exciting and very rewarding.

I did this at the gallery (Art Access) where my show is. I had my van, that Jean (my wife) and I tricked out Friday so I could stand in and have multiple people in to load and process plates. It is AWESOME!! It's 6'-5" wide, 6'-5" tall and several feet deep. It is so bright and roomy it's similar to my home darkroom. Very, very comfortable and bright!

Anyway, here are the photos that David shot (thanks David, Jean and Summer! You are WONDERFUL and I couldn't do this without you!!)


The intinerant (very comfortable) wet plate photographer.


The mobile van pulled up in front of the gallery.


There were 40 people there. They only had seats for 25.


Let the performance begin. If you think about it, it is a performance. I
was aware of that and tried to include the audience and tell stories
while going through the process.


I described the chemicals and explained the chemical process (in lay
terms) of how this process works. There were many photographers in
the audience and they connected well and were blown away.



I included "off-gassing" jokes too.


As I said, I tried to involve, as much as I could, the audience.
I had some of the city's best fine art photographers in the crowd.
It was a humbling experience.



Setting up to make the portrait in the gallery. This is Sheryl, one of
the people that run Art Access.



"Flowing the Plate" and filling the gallery with that sweet smell. I have Logan (an audience member)
helping me and Summer is shooting video for me. I really like this shot.



In my mobile darkroom. It was a sweet experience!


A 15 second development, and voile! A 5x7 BGA of Sheryl.

The most exciting part (for most) watching the image change in the fix.


A successful first image. People wondered how the exposure was right
without having a meter or a shutter - how do you explain "feeling" and experience?


People admiring the detail, color and the transformative qualities that wet plate give you.


I liked the image. The background treatment was different than what
I was used to, but that's the idea, baby-steps to push it around a bit.


Joe, my second sitter, watches as I show another technique of flowing a plate.


Examining a clear Ambrotype of Joe.


Another audience assistant helps me varnish Sheryl's plate. We filled
the gallery with that great odor of lavendar.


And I end the "show" with a Q&A session. Someone said it was like
going to a medicine show or a magic show. I took it as a huge
compliment.


A photo of Sheryl's Ambrotype. Joe's turned out well too, I'll
post one when I get it scanned.

Thanks Mark. I've found the more I do, the more I learn, so there is a selfish motive here (also, it's a requirement for my MFA).

The van is my mobile dream unit. It really makes a huge difference to be comfortable and precise on the road. It boosts my confidence immensely. I hope to do a lot of work this year out of the van, not in my studio, that's the goal anyway.

The exposure was 10 seconds, wide open with my Jamin-Darlot. The brick was out of the DOF and the north light was blazing, it is interesting - different for me.

I was worried the night before thinking that these windows may be UV protected, if they would have been, I couldn't have made any pictures.

Quinn,

You're on a roll, man!! Congratulations.

love the pimped out van Quinn!

-andrew