I have been buying up a bunch of glass negs from a Canadian seller on eBay. I do not know the histories of these negatives, the people in them etc but find them so fascinating.
I am thinking of printing these images larger on silver gelatin fiber (including all the neg defects), possibly as big as 16x20 inch prints. I might then try to submit the work to a gallery under a title like "Forgotten Faces" or "Unknown #1, #2", "Person Unknown #1. #2" etc. The strange compositions, the old style clothes, the static expressions, and the damage to the negs all create an overall surreal and visually strong effect.
Submitting 10 or so of them to a gallery might be accepted and the artist fee would pay for the items! Allowing me to own, print and play with them for a while, for free. Heck if I want to be optimistic about this, what about 2 exhibitions with 2 paid artist fees allowing me to earn some money to buy film and make my own pictures, or to pay for some silver nitrate for the coming wet plate "Oh! Canada!!" project.
Would people/galleries would be interested in viewing these forgotten faces? Probably not going to happen but the thought is nice :) Negs like this with such history thou should be collected and protected. I can take care of them for the rest of my lifetime, after that they are in fates hands.
Who were these people? What lives did they live? Gosh these negs are COOL!
I am thinking of printing these images larger on silver gelatin fiber (including all the neg defects), possibly as big as 16x20 inch prints. I might then try to submit the work to a gallery under a title like "Forgotten Faces" or "Unknown #1, #2", "Person Unknown #1. #2" etc. The strange compositions, the old style clothes, the static expressions, and the damage to the negs all create an overall surreal and visually strong effect.
Submitting 10 or so of them to a gallery might be accepted and the artist fee would pay for the items! Allowing me to own, print and play with them for a while, for free. Heck if I want to be optimistic about this, what about 2 exhibitions with 2 paid artist fees allowing me to earn some money to buy film and make my own pictures, or to pay for some silver nitrate for the coming wet plate "Oh! Canada!!" project.
Would people/galleries would be interested in viewing these forgotten faces? Probably not going to happen but the thought is nice :) Negs like this with such history thou should be collected and protected. I can take care of them for the rest of my lifetime, after that they are in fates hands.
Who were these people? What lives did they live? Gosh these negs are COOL!
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| Each image has a glass negative (3X4 inch wet plate?) along with a positive print made from it in a plastic bag |
