Re: APIS, looong post

>> I said: Our group is getting smaller, and maybe
> > when silver gelatin becomes an alt process we will see an immediate
> > burgeoning of numbers, but right now it's a pretty darn few of us out
there
>
> Katharine Thayer said: This statement puzzles me. I have seen an enormous
increase in interest in alt processes, particularly gum, in the last five
years.

Katharine,
You are absolutely right, and I should have explained my statement much
better. Yes, I think there is a major increase in alt process interest
around the turn of this century, because of several things--we want to get
our hands into process, and the ability of great diginegs now, as Mark N.
can attest to, etc..

However, my statement is based on an interesting comment made by Dusan
Stulik, I think: that there were 150 processes around the turn of the 20th
century, and many are now lost. We only have to witness Art Chakalis' avid
research into the Fresson print. I think, if I am not mistaken, he is the
only one who does that process in the US, not that Art calls it Fresson, but
Art-Velour, in respect to the Fresson family. And there is nothing like a
Fresson print. Art pointed out that the shadows in an Art Velour print (I
shall call it that now) are matt, and the highlights shiny, whereas in a gum
print the shadows are shiny and the highlights less so, etc.

Perhaps gum is growing, and certainly APIS is a testimony to the growth of
pt/pd. There are a bunch of cyanotype practitioners out there now, too.
But Dick's venture and Dusan's concern (conservator at the Getty) is that we
must make sure the history of these processes gets passed on so future
generations can know about them and practice them, if so desired.

The amount of processes has certainly dwindled, and the amount of
photographers practicing alt process in the grand scheme of photography out
there is limited as well. I know that from experience, because many
professional photographers when seeing my work have no idea what a gum print
is. As I was hanging the show it was amazing how many people walked in and
out and complimented me on my "paintings".

But yes, the number of alt practitioners is growing in a handful of the
processes from the small amount of practitioners that there has been.
Chris

PS Dick, I don't think you or APIS discourage women, I think women don't
come for other reasons although I don't know what they might be...
Received on Wed Jul 13 17:23:47 2005