Archetype of Random

Lou Hazelwood with sculptural contributions by Sabine Bieli
Curated by BasementArtsProject

Friday 26th April - Friday 14th June
Preview: Thursday 25th April 6-8pm

Lou Hazelwood explores the alteration and manipulation of photographic film. In An Archetype of Random she is working with ideas of randomisation and abstraction. Using a 35mm damaged film stock that has circular redactions randomly appearing on the film she uses long exposure photographs to abstract our understanding of an image. She also chemically alters the expected outcomes of film by using techniques embedded within the hand-processing of film.

Being unable to predict the outcome of the process is central to this work, which lends itself to connections being made between images. Hazelwood finds this a dangerously optimistic way of working and enthuses her interest in many analogue alchemical processes which she has explored since the 1980’s.

The circular redactions can be seen as markers mapping out our readings of the work. They become autopoeitic diagrams that generate their own systems and content whilst avoiding the creation of its own narrative; this begins to explain the title ‘An Archetype of Random’. These diagrams break down our understanding of the photographic image and the processes lead us to explore abstract methods of understanding them. 

Lou has been invited to exhibit the outcome of these experimental works at BLANK_ Gallery and Ropewalk Gallery in Barton Upon Humber; and in the process run workshops with the students looking at experimental analogue photography techniques.

Swiss artist Sabine Bieli will exhibit alongside Lou; Sabine’s use of an early photographic technique taken into the 3D realm utilising a circular void connects to the ideas explored by Hazelwood: the understanding of photography and moments when light meets matter - luminosity.