Alchemical Drawings, 2021
Louisiana mud, Mississippi river water, Mississippi river bank sand, New Orleans rain water, fig pulp, elderberry pulp, grass pulp, smoke, and laser etching on Lokta bark paper.
Exhibited at the Wading Room Gallery as part of Ultimum Spiritum a group exhibition with The Crystal Efemmes
Access publication and essay written by Pia Z. Erhardt here
In the Alchemical Drawings, images of endangered Louisiana botanical specimen were sourced from digital archives and manipulated using photo imaging software. Tools and functions applied to the imagery referenced those a botanist might use to proliferate these species in a laboratory and reintroduce them into the wild; cutting, cloning, duplicating, and splicing were all part of the process. The images were then digitally drawn in preparation for laser etching. Organic pigments relating to each species were harvested from the Louisiana landscape and applied to Lokta bark paper, a type of Himalayan handmade paper used for sacred texts due to its resistance to humidity and decay. Once the paper was treated, the final imagery was etched onto the paper’s surface via a tiny precise flame.
The process of using various organic elements such as fire, water, earth, smoke, and pulp, to render images of disappearing species became an intentional act / a spell / a prayer / a wish for the survival of these species and a reminder that while humankind stakes its claim, other beings are slowly disappearing.