“Places, pieces, and hidden histories” is an exhibition of recent work primarily focused my continued compilation of inter tidal images of the Miocene basalt headlands on the northern Oregon coast (places). The exhibition will feature several gelatin silver prints, similar to ones I have produced in the past, and a selection of carbon ink prints on German etching paper that were recently produced at the studio of Cirrus Digital Imaging. Surpassing the limitations of traditional darkroom processing, the advanced technology and technical support available at Cirrus has enabled me to realize images from my most challenging, large format negatives. Several of these photographs were made during pre-dawn and early morning hours when, as is so often the case on the Oregon coast, the light was heavy with mist or fog, and the nuances of dark, wet tidal rocks, barely discernable to the naked eye.
The “pieces” included in the exhibition depict the oxidized surfaces of rocks I have found in the field. The oxidized and more-or-less planar surfaces of these chunks of rock have seemingly begged for translation to works on paper. I have photographed them, often showing both sides of the same stone, and printed them in color, pigment ink on rag paper.
“Hidden histories” refers to an unexpected discovery made during the conservation of an album of photographs of the Columbia River taken in 1867 by the legendary Carleton E. Watkins (American, 1824-1916). During this process the 24 inch tall spine of the album was detached so as to facilitate the removal of layers of hardened glue, the result of earlier (failed) repair efforts. Exposed inside the albums 24-inch spine was the word “History” elegantly calligraphed on rag paper that had been used in construction of the arched back. This hand behind “hidden history” was that of Flugencio Seraqui, a renowned calligrapher in his time, and the person who penned the titles on the mounts of Carleton Watkins albumen mammoth prints.
– Terry Toedtemeier