For this screenprint edition, Denis Savary explores the potential of Photogram images produced by this camera-less photographic technique, that is traditionally made by placing objects on photographic paper and exposing the paper to light.
Savary proposes a contemporary serigraphy version of the inspirational works of the 19th century English Botanist and Photographer, Anna Atkins, who used this contact print method to produce impressions of plants.
For this edition, two different screens were used: one for the leaves rendered in silver, using a traditional photography technique post-edited digitally; and a second screen, on which adhesive strips were directly flashed in the manner of photograms.
The image of the traditional herbarium is revisited with the placement of this sticky matter onto palms collected in Sicily.
The title of the work points to the tendency to perceive a specific, potentially meaningful image in random or ambiguous visual pattern such as blotches or clouds.
The invitation, in this case, is to recognise a giant anteater – an animal that Salvador Dalì was particularly fond of, reworking art history’s bestiaries.
