Box Camera
A camera obscura, literally meaning “dark room”, can consist of any dark chamber, such as a box or room, with a small opening. Light from the subject matter outside the chamber travels through the room and appears as an inverted image on the opposite wall. My work consists of functional instruments made of metal, inspired by the camera obscura.
Historically, artists as well as scientists have used the camera obscura as a tool to explore optics, movement and measurement. Since the Renaissance, significant artists have used the camera obscura to increase their understanding about the mechanics of perception and the two-dimensional depiction of the three-dimensional world.
My work is based on these early scientific experiments and the further exploration of these ideas in a fine art context. By creating an instrument, using it, and examining the results, I have a greater understanding about the world in which I live.
The fascination I have with traveling and encountering new places fuels this work. I am intrigued with the aspect of documentation and description of an area. As a result, my cameras are portable, allowing them to explore places and environments easily. The combination of a pinhole camera and film usually requires long exposure times which allow me to absorb the landscape, details and intricacies of an area and make my response through the photographs.