Arilanthus altissima (mill), swingle, simarobaceae, 'tree of heaven'
Andrew Seward uses techniques such
as cyanotype photograms to explore different plant species. Cyanotype photograms are contact prints made with the cyanotype printing process, one of the earliest photographic processes. They are created by coating paper in iron salts before placing objects in direct contact with the paper and exposing it to ultraviolet light. This causes a chemical reaction, which results in cyan blue. The areas of the paper covered by the objects are not exposed to light and remain white. Seward’s cyanotype photograms refer back to the work of 19th-century English photographer and scientist, Anna Atkins who used this process to document plant specimens. Seward’s interests, however, are more cultural than scientific. This work is part of a series that explores plants with sacred, mythological or medicinal associations, highlighting Seward’s interest in cultural meaning and symbolism in the natural world.
(2018)
The cyanotype was originally developed by the British scientist John Herschel in the 1840s, making it one of the earliest photographic print types. The process is cheap and non-toxic, and was particularly effective as a means of making direct prints of botanical samples in the field. The culture of amateur photography that emerged in the late 19th century also embraced cyanotypes for their simplicity and decorous hues.
