CMYK (2022 and ongoing)
 

In my practice, I engage in observing, questioning and recording nature, focusing on plants. The basis of most of the works is the interest in the herbarium, which has been present since childhood. The manic observation, collection and photography of plants at some point turned into the idea of ​​a literal physical amalgamation of photography and natural material. This led to the implementation of alternative photographic techniques (anthotype and the chlorophyll process) and to attempts to obtain natural dyes and pigments. An interweaving of plant images and physical plant parts has occurred, a hybrid where the end result usually differs from the initial idea. At the same time, the personal desire for perfection was counterbalanced by uncontrollable natural processes. The compromise that is the result of creation is also the driving force that leads to repeated experiments.

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The series CMYK thus combines a personal fascination with natural dyes and botanical photography and their interrelationship. It shows the processes of obtaining natural plant dyes in cmyk shades, which are later used as printing inks for inkjet printing. In parallel, it is researching the field of botanical photography and as a result it is stringing together a series of plant portraits printed with plant based printing inks. In doing so, it offers a potential ecological solution in the printing industry and, due to its experimental nature, simultaneously opens up new possibilities and improvements. It creates living/disappearing images and a unique liveliness of the process.

 

The project was created as Master's degree at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Ljubljana, Slovenia).