Julie Davies and Alex Rizkalla’s Apocrypha series responds to a collection of plaster moulds once used to fashion religious icons. These moulds were gifted to the artists and carry a provenance that is related to a specific family's history and heritage. The moulds have been photographed as sculptural objects in their own right, without disclosing the figurative form inside the cast. The term ‘apocrypha’ is both complex and arcane in its meaning. In the theological context, apocrypha are texts of either uncertain origin or secret knowledge. As texts of dubious authorship, authenticity or hidden content, apocrypha sit outside of the theological canon, and are contrasted with the canonical scriptures (Matthew, Mark Luke and John). In modern parlance, the term continues to carry associations of a spurious or fictitious text or account. Presented as apocrypha, Davies and Rizkala’s sculptural objects become invested with a sense of secrecy, which is both intriguing and suggestive.
(2018)
Also known as Giclee prints or bubble-jet prints, pigment ink-jet prints are generated by computer printers from digital or scanned files using dye-based or pigment-based inks. A series of nozzles spray tiny droplets of ink onto the paper surface in a precise pattern that corresponds to the digital image file. In dye-based prints the ink soaks into the paper, whereas in pigment-based prints the ink rests and dries on top of the paper surface.
Whilst the term is broad, pigment ink-jet prints have come to be associated with prints produced on fine art papers. They are the most versatile and archival method of printing available to photographers today. A wide variety of material on which an image can be printed with such inks are available, including various textures and finishes such as matte photo paper, watercolour paper, cotton canvas or pre-coated canvas.
