'COVID-19 Plant Prints' for WIOP Vol.2

I have been self-isolating with my partner in our flat in Bow, east London; and I have been collaborating in a very literal sense with this area, using plant materials found within it to create ‘plant prints’. These are created via a seldom-used cameraless photography process, anthotypes, invented by Sir John Herschel in the 1840’s. Anthotypes entail extracting juice from plants and then painting onto a surface, with the sun’s UV rays blasting the pigments to complete the process. This can take between three hours to three weeks depending on numerous factors.

On my government-sanctioned daily stroll I have been sourcing plant matter (usually weeds) from East London, which I use to forge a colourful, sometimes ghostly impression of these weeds. My local independent food store is the source for vegetables used to create the 'paint', or whatever I find in my kitchen cupboard; beetroot, rainbow chard, spinach, even red wine are materials.