RESIDENCY
DCA Print Studio (Part I)
As part of a commission to make new work for the forthcoming ‘We Contain Multitudes’ exhibition, Longhurst spends time at the DCA Print Studio, experimenting with various print tecniques using ash from burned court case documents.
ID1. an open workbook with a photocopied image of a huge bonfire. The fire is surrounded by scorched weeds and billowing yellow smoke which obscures a large structure in the background. Flames can be seen licking at piles of charred papers and ash. The image is a little apocalyptic. The book is photographed from above and a pair of red trainers can be seen below.
ID2. a close up image of a bag of ash with fine and large silver and black ash flakes.
ID3. two pigment prints of details of the ash and burning papers - one flocked with large flakes of ash; one with a silkcreen overlay of a grey translucent ash medium. Twining vines are cut out of the overlays. The vine sections reveal more clearly parts of the image beneath.
ID4. silkscreening in process, using a black pigment added to the ash medium.
ID5. a pair of pigment prints of ash and burning paper. One with a dark pigment ash overlay, one with ash in a clear printing medium. The base prints are not fully covered and details of ash, flames and weeds can be seen in the uncovered parts.
ID6. dark ash medium silkscreen detail showing the vine cut outs, ash and burning papers.
ID7. clear ash medium silkscreen detail showing the vine cut outs, ash and burning papers.
ID8. multiple full-bleed ash medium silk screened pigment prints on drying rack.
ID9. a laser-etching machine cutting vines into a woodblock.
ID10. mixing seived ash into an oil-based black pigment for woodblock printing.
ID11. the new ink rollered onto the glass worktop to test strength of black pigment and ash visibility.
ID12. woodblock being lifted off pigment print, which is now overprinted with a transcluscent dark ash medium. The fine cut out vines on each side reveal the original print more clearly.
ID13. completed test print alongside ash ink sampler of 5 strengths of ink.
ID16. more ink rollering, with ash but no black pigment added. The medium is a speckled silvery grey.
ID17. woodblock test prints with and without black pigment added.
ID18. laser-cut woodblock vines, and blind embossing test.
ID19. a selection of pigment prints drying on a rack, including the original bonfire images and large cropped details of the burning ash and weeds.
ID20. The original bonfire photograph reproduced as a riso print - with an added layer of matt gold, which brings out the apocalyptic aspect of the image.