For this commission, the work explores the relationship between ecology, photographic practice, and transformation. Through material experimentation and process-based exploration, the project considers how nature and image-making can act as tools for reflection and renewal.

The work draws on native flora selected in consultation with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners. Using the photographic method of Phytograms, the project investigates the physical and chemical interactions between plants and photosensitive materials. The phytogram process is a camera-less method that uses the natural chemistry of plants to develop images directly onto expired photographic film. Plant material is placed onto the film surface after being soaked in a non-toxic solution, where the exposed arrangement reacts to light and moisture to produce a direct chemical trace of the plant’s interaction with the photographic substrate.

Each image develops uniquely over a week-long exposure to UV light, shaped by the plant’s inherent moisture and mineral composition, as well as the ambient temperature. After exposure, the images are digitally coloured, extending the process into a second phase of transformation that emphasises colour and tone to create otherworldly outcomes. The resulting works are unpredictable and abstract, revealing subtle gradients and imprints that record the meeting of organic, digital, and photographic matter.

The practice employs non-toxic techniques and upcycled expired photographic materials, extending the lifecycle of resources and aligning with a broader commitment to regeneration and care for the natural world.

The commission comprises nine new artworks, reproduced as over 450 framed photographs installed throughout guest rooms and corridors

Client
Plenary with design studio Woods Bagot for the Crowne Plaza Geelong Hotel.