WALEAD BESHTY
b. 1977, London, UK
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In the group show WHERE THE LIGHT GETS IN, a work from Walead Beshty's 2006-2012 series Multi-Sided Pictures is included. The photogram, pictured below, is the result of a specific photographic process developed by the artist. Beshty starts with light-sensitive photographic paper, which he folds into various three-dimensional shapes. The shapes can vary, and have from three to six sides. He then uses a standard color photographic enlarger, to expose the different sides of the folded shape of paper. Beshty utilizes both the additive and the subtracted color system in exposing the different sides of the folded paper. The additive colors are red, green and blue, and the system is representative of how our eyes perceive color. The more intensively the three colors are combined, the closer you get to creating white light. The subtracted color system consists of cyan, magenta and yellow, and works by subtracting particular wavelengths of light from white light to create color. In contrast to the additive system, a combination of cyan, magenta and yellow in full intensity creates the color black, i.e absence of color. In using both of these systems when exposing the photographic paper, Beshty creates the opportunity of developing all possible color combinations. By setting up this strict framework of procedure, the artist almost takes on the shape of the scientist, letting the compositions form themselves by chance under the predetermined circumstances.
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Walead Beshty
From series Multi-sided Pictures, 2006 - 2012
Color photographic paper
35 x 27 cm
Other works by Walead Beshty includes the series Three Color Curl Works from 2008–2013 and Six Color Curl Works from 2009–2010. The Color Curl series consists of photograms created by curling or rolling sheets of color photographic paper against a metal wall, using large strip magnets to hold the paper in place during exposure. The paper is unrolled to the approximate span of the artist's outstretched arms, then cut and positioned on the wall, with the magnets providing support. The cut sheets of paper are larger than either the enlarger’s capacity to fully expose or the darkroom wall’s available space, so the paper must be curled and bowed to fit within the exposure field. This creates an effect similar to a gathered or cinched ribbon, giving the appearance of being gently ruffled. The magnets remain in their previous positions, meaning each new exposure builds upon the last, resulting in a series of layered images. The paper is then exposed to each of the primary subtractive colors—cyan, magenta, and yellow—one at a time using a horizontal color photographic enlarger. This combination of subtractive colors produces the full spectrum of possible hues, with the interactions between the colors creating various secondary tones (for example, red emerges from the overlap of magenta and yellow, while green forms from yellow and cyan). The intensity of these colors varies based on several factors, including the angle of the projected light relative to the paper’s surface and the way different color intensities mix during exposure. These elements together generate a wide range of tones and color shifts, resulting in an almost infinite array of hues.