Woke up today thinking of a submission idea for the biggest and best gallery in Alberta, the AGA (here in Edmonton).
The submission idea would go as follows. An AGA Curatorial Staff email I am working on.
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My project is a major 15-year cross Canada effort. My idea is to do an Edmonton component for Manning Hall. The overall project is called AMBROTOS KANATA. The series I would submit to the curatorial staff would be AMBROTOS KANATA: EDMONTON.
AMBROTOS KANATA is photographic in nature, I will be making photographs on glass (Ambrotypes) in sizes from 8x10 to 35x35 inches using a variety of view cameras. Ambrotypes are a very difficult and complex wet plate photography technique that dates back to its invention in 1851. My idea for Manning Hall would be to create 10-35x35 inch framed ambrotypes of important and historical parts of Edmonton. As part of the submission process, I will include a video on how an Ultra Large Format 35x35 ambrotype is created. Ambrotypes need to be made with a mobile darkroom on the spot before the glass plates dry (that is why it is called wet plate). I would need to travel to each location with my huge 35x35 inch view camera (see photos) and my mobile wet plate trailer darkroom. Making each image would probably require 3 or 4 days of work.
If you have never seen an ambrotype before, especially an ultra large format image, you're in for a treat. It is magical, like the subject is captured inside the glass. There is feeling of 3D, in highly detailed warm tones. A magical moment of time remembered forever. Ambrotypes are incredibly beautiful.
AMBROTOS KANTA: EDMONTON subjects might include:
- AGA building
- Alberta Legislature
- Historical Schools
- Petro Chemical Plants
near Sherwood Park
- River Valley
- City Hall/ Churchill
Square
- Gibson Bock
- Fort Edmonton
- Ukrainian Village
- Hotel McDonald
- Princess Theatre
- St. Joseph’s Cathedral
Basilica
- Any other subjects that I or you can think of.
