In Desert Sublime: Alchemical Translations, I use an 8 x 10 large-format camera and the wet plate collodion process to explore the interplay between landscape, mapping, and perspective. Developed in the 1860s, wet plate collodion was the first photographic process to enable photographers to work directly within the landscape. This historical method resonates deeply with my practice, as it was also used during early U.S. Geological Surveys to map and document the American West.
This series focuses on playas—dry lake beds in American deserts—which embody the essence of the desert. Once filled with standing water that has evaporated over time, playas symbolize impermanence and transformation, echoing the environmental themes central to my work. Their surfaces collapse time and space, shaped by the interplay of water and aridity.
The images synthesize three systems of perspective: isometric shapes that provide structural frameworks, the illusion of depth created by the camera lens, and forced perspective from mapped geometric shapes. By combining these approaches, I reimagine the desert as both a tangible and conceptual space, challenging viewers to question their perception of place and its environmental and symbolic significance.
This series focuses on playas—dry lake beds in American deserts—which embody the essence of the desert. Once filled with standing water that has evaporated over time, playas symbolize impermanence and transformation, echoing the environmental themes central to my work. Their surfaces collapse time and space, shaped by the interplay of water and aridity.
The images synthesize three systems of perspective: isometric shapes that provide structural frameworks, the illusion of depth created by the camera lens, and forced perspective from mapped geometric shapes. By combining these approaches, I reimagine the desert as both a tangible and conceptual space, challenging viewers to question their perception of place and its environmental and symbolic significance.
